Happy Feet 0:5
by johnpatgillespie
Summary: Mumble is back in a hilarious action-packed tale of friendship, corruption and courage. In Emperor Land, Mumble Happy Feet's life is a plateful of stress due to his appalling singing voice. But soon loyalties are tested, friendships are shattered and new ones are made as Mumble and his friends become embroiled in a plot that could destroy Emperor land as they know it. Mostly OCs.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was shining over New Emperor Land. The large colony of Emperor penguins that lived there were living happy, uneventful lives, just the way they Liked it. in a corner of the city, three small toddler penguins; Erik, Bo and Atticus were gathered around Erik's father, Mumble, who was telling them stories of his adventures of his younger days. "And it was thanks to Erik's singing that the elephant seals came to help us, the glacier was destroyed and all the penguins were free" Mumble concluded his story, to which the children replied with a cheer.

"Uncle Mumble, can you tell us a story from when you were a chick?" Atticus asked. Mumble briefly paused before saying "well, Atticus, the first adventure that I ever had was when I brought back the fish to Emperor Land". "Well, I can most certainly disagree with that, Mumble" came a voice from behind him, that without a doubt belonged to his true love Gloria. "Don't you remember, that time whe-

"Nope" Mumble interrupted quickly.

"We were teena-

"You got me on that one"

"With Chrysta and John-

"Nope. I have no recollection of those peo-

"Mumble! Please let me finish".

"I know. I remember. It's just, I don't think that that's the kind of story we should be telling Erik".

"Dad, please, we gotta grow up sometime" Erik pleaded. Mumble glanced at Gloria, who gave him her usual nod of approval. He turned back to the kids and said "Okay, I'll tell you the story. So let's just trace this back a long time ag-

"Aw, is this going one of those boring, historical stories" Bo moaned.

"Someone dies in it" said Gloria.

"Okay".

"So" Mumble continued, "it was a long, LONG time ago."


	2. Chapter 2

_FLASHBACK..._

The snow fell fast and the wind blew violently on the freezing mountain peak, where a group of courageous emperor penguins, led by the great Guin, trekked up the frozen hillside, in search of their home, Emperor Land, which was under the cruel control of Khan, the one-eyed leopard seal wh-

_"Oh, sorry about that, this is a little TOO long a time ago. I was thinking more like, well I don't know, when I was a teenager, about thirteen penguin years. Just flash-forward ever so slightly"._

__FLASH-FORWARD...__

The penguins celebrated their victory after the aliens had decided to ban fishing in Antarctica and return the fish to Emperor Land an-

_"Okay, now this is too far forward. Here, just let me do it. For Guin's sake, we really need a new time-line remote. Ah, here we are"._


	3. Chapter 3

_FLASHBACK (ever so sightly)..._

"Well, Mumble, this is it. Our first day as students of Antarctic Academy".

"I know right, I just can't believe I've gotten this far".

"Hey, what's up guys" Seymour said as he walked over to the pair.

"Hi Seymour, how are you?" Mumble asked as they walked into the main building of the campus. Suddenly, Mumble fell to the floor after crashing into something, or rather, someone. A gentoo penguin with green eyes and Dark Indigo feathers, with a small scratch on his left eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry there, chap" he said as he helped Mumble to his feet. He spoke with an East London accent with just a hint of Cockney in his voice. "Thank you sir" Mumble said as he picked up his belongings.

When they were at the front desk, Gloria tried to start a conversation with Mumble that would not come off awkward while they waited to receive their room keys. Trying to get his attention, he cleared her throat loudly.

"Did you say something?"

"No no, no. Nothing at all. erm, nice... haircut" She said, remarking towards the quiff he had shaped onto his head.

"Um, thanks, I guess. So you're a major in singing then."

"Yeah, what about you."

"I'm kind of taking singing too. I could really use the lessons."

"Miss Gloria. Your key."

"Finally. Well, I'll see you later Mumble."

"You too."

" Here we are. Happy Feet, room 697. You know, your new room-mate is a foreign exchange student from the Polar Ice Caps."

"Okay come on, you can do this" Mumble said quietly to himself as he climbed the stairs past bustling students to get to his room. "Okay so, I gotta make a good first impression on this guy or girl, it's my room-mate for crying out loud!"

Finally he reached the door to his room, where his room-mate was without a doubt inside. "Alright, you can do this, your new best friend or arch nemesis is just behind this door".

Mumble opened the door, only to meet a young girl about his age, Thirteen years (not alien years) old, sorting her books on a table. Her eyes were a bright shade of blue, even lighter than his own, and she wore small spectacles that were made out of circular pieces of glass, and her fur was whiter than snow an- oh, sorry, did I forget to mention that she was an Arctic Fox.

"Oh, Hello, you must be my room-mate."

"I, guess so. I'm Mumble. My friends call me Happy Feet."

"Chrysta. Chrysta Wolfsworth."

"Wolfsworth. You mean like, Cliff Wolfsworth, the business tycoon."

"Yeah, he's my older brother. But what about you, Mumble Happy Feet. Aren't you that penguin who can't sing?."

"Yep, that's me."

"You know, I like what you've done to your hair."

"Why, thank you. You know, it's my feathers, I've just grown them out a little and used some mushy snow to flick it up like this and just waited for it to freeze over."

"Well, it suits you. Okay so now onto the process of choosing beds. I just wanted to let you have first pick."

After they had sorted their bedroom arrangements, Mumble checked off the first and second item on his check-list carved into a solid block of ice. "Okay, so I've arrived on campus and sorted out bedroom, now I just need to

3\. Become a better singer.

4\. Ace my classes.

5\. Graduate with Honours.

6\. Get everybody's respect.

"Wow, I wish I had all the support that you have, Mumble" Chrysta said sadly. "When I was growing up, it was all 'conceal, don't feel' and 'be more like my goody-two-shoes brother' he was always Mr Perfect in my Mom and Dad's eyes. Of course he did have this thing for danger, I mean his first girlfriend was a trained assassin and his best friend in high school was a drug addicted socio-path who pretended to kill himself by jumping off a building. Cliff also has this...intolerance of sub-zero temperatures, I mean the cold never bothered me but, yeah, he literally hates the cold."

"Well, to be honest, Chrysta, the only two people who supported me were my Mom and my best friend Gloria. You know my Dad and I never really talked after we found out I couldn't sing. In fact, I think he saw me as more of a burden than a son. So, you know, when I got this chance to become a major in singing I saw it as a chance to show everyone what Mumble Happy Feet can do. And it all starts tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

When he walked to class with Chrysta, Mumble realised he had this joyful, happy feeling that morning, and it wasn't in his feet. He had not felt this way in over five penguin years, more specifically the day he discovered he couldn't sing. He could not remember much from that day, only the laughter, the ridicule, the total humiliation, and of course the broken icicle that hit him on the head. But today, it was different. Maybe today it wouldn't end in disaster. Maybe today, life would be good. As they walked, Mumble thought up a small tune in his head.

_It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say,_

_Sunshine, she's here, you can take a break,_

_I'm a, hot air balloon that could go to space,_

_With the air, like I don't care, baby by the way,_

_(because I'm happy)_

_Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof_

_(because I'm happy)_

_Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth_

_(because I'm happy)_

_Clap along if you know what happiness is to you_

_(because I'm happy)_

_Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do._

As they entered the large classroom, Mumble saw Gloria waving and offering him a seat, next to which was the perfect place for Chrysta to sit down too. When they sat down, Gloria said "hey buddy, how was your first day?".

"Oh, it was fantastic. My room is really big and spacious, my room-mate is really nice and, speaking of which, Chrysta, this is my friend Gloria".

Gloria stared in shock at Mumble's new acquaintance. After all, she was an Arctic Fox. Her parents told her to stay away from anyone who was, well, not a penguin. As far as she was concerned, Chrysta _(if that was her real name) _could not be trusted.

"Nice to meet you, Crystal".

"It's Chrysta, actually".

"Yeah, that's nice" Gloria said sarcastically. Mumble noticed the tone in her voice and the clearly annoyed expression on Chrysta's face so tried to stop a fight from breaking out. "So, Gloria, how was your day?"

"Oh, it was great. Although my new room-mate is a little crazy. He's a gentoo, and he has these green eyes that literally _POP _out of his head. And he has this _infuriatingly _annoying voice. It's like a mix of cockney and Yorkshire, I don't know. I mean, for the love of Guin I _cannot _remember his name. I think it began with a J like, Joey, or Josh, or Jerome or maybe even J-

Suddenly the doors flew open and a voice came in that said "here's Johnny!."

Mumble turned around and saw a penguin that not only bore the description of Gloria's room-mate, but was also the penguin he had bumped the day beforehand. When he reached the front of the classroom, the gentoo saw Gloria and said loudly "HEY WHATTUP ROOMIE!. Grace, right?".

"Gloria actually, and this is my friend Mumble."

"Ah yes,. I believe we deserve a proper introduction after our little 'collision' yesterday". And with that he held out his flipper to Mumble. "Jonathan Harrison Khan Sherlock Pitt, at your service."

"Okay, then," said Mumble. "Mumble Happy Feet, at your service."

"Oh, yeah. You're that one who can't sing for toffee, aren't you."

"Yep, that's me."

"I like what you've done to your hair, lad."

"It's my feathers. now can you please sit down. I think class is starting."


	5. Chapter 5

Just then their teacher entered the room. She was an adult emperor penguin who was surprisingly short for her age. She walked to the front of the class and spoke with a loud, confident voice.

"Good morning students. And welcome to the Antarctic Academy singing course. I am Professor Corningstone. Now, I must warn you kids. You may have all been the best singers in your town, so I guess you're pretty confident. But guess what, you're in _my_ town now, and I am not easily impressed. My job at this academy is to make good singers great..."

Mumble saw those words as comforting to people like Gloria, or his parents, so it couldn't be that threatening, right.

"...Not make bad singers terrible."

Mumble's happy, joyful feeling was beginning to morph back to misery after she said that. _So much for inspiration_ he thought.

"which is why _I_ will be personally judging the exam at the end of this semester, for if you fail said exam, you will be _out_ of the singing course."

Hearing these words made Mumble's dreams and heart sink. And to add insult to injury Johnny whispered to him "well, you're bloody done for, aren't you lad."

"Yeah, no snow, Sherlock." Mumble said sarcastically. He realised now that he had to pass that exam, no matter how much practice and studying it would take.

"Well, then" said the professor trying to get back on subject "now that we've got _that_ out of the way, who can tell me the vocal ranges of the male singing voice?" after she said that, a confused silence fell over the class. Mumble knew this answer of course. He had read about it when he was emptying his books the night before. Although he knew the answer, his father always told him to lay low and never draw attention to himself, as that would often end in disaster. Corningstone just shook her head in annoyance and said "well if none of you know the answer, I guess that means we move to ques-

"There are actually four!" Mumble said very quickly and very loudly. The professor turned around and said "excuse me?"

Mumble realized he had just yelled out the answer and everyone in the class was looking at him. "Well" he said shyly. "There are four variations of the male singing voice. there's the Countertenor, the Tenor, the Baritone and the Bass".

The professor checked her booklet and said "hhmm, impressive. Mister...

"Happy Feet. Er, Mumble Happy Feet.

"Happy Feet? Wait a minute, you're not related to Norma Jean of Emperor Land, are you?"

"Yeah, she's my mom."

"Well, I should have known. I expect _BIG_ things from you this year, young man."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you were disappointed" Mumble said under his breath so she couldn't hear.

_That night..._

"Oh, come on Mumble, it's sign-up-club-and-sorority night. You have to go" Chrysta begged as she put on some transparent earrings and a necklace, both made of ice.

"I'm sorry, Chrysta but I need to study. I have to pass that exam if I'm gonna get my dad's respect."

"Well, at least your mom still supports you. And at least you still have your parents. Mine were killed by a leopard seal two years ago when we first moved here. All I have is my brother, but, you know, he doesn't really like me. I mean, he was just the perfect son to my parents cause he had my family's brown eyes and British accent, while I had to stray away from tradition with blue eyes and an american accent. Maybe Cliff is right, maybe I am just an ugly loser who will never amount to anything."

"No, Chrysta. Don't talk about yourself like that. You're starting to sound like me" Mumble protested. "You're not me Okay. Unlike me, you've got it easy, you know why. Because you can sing".Chrysta noticed that this topic made Mumble very uncomfortable, but he was still quite talented at hiding his emotions, as he smiled and said in a humorous manner "Now go on down to the party and have fun. But not too much fun. You really don't want a hangover on a Saturday. Ha ha."

This comment made Chrysta laugh. "Okay, I'll see you later Mumble". And with that, she set off towards the party. Before she got there, she thought about what Mumble said to her, and realized how lucky she was to have him as a friend. How she enjoyed his company; his empathy, his stylish sense of humour, his positive attitude towards learning, and his crazy tapping feet. When it came to Mumble, Chrysta thought they would be friends to the end.


	6. Chapter 6

A few miles north of Emperor Land, there was a large, dark ice fortress called Wolfsworth Manor. In a dark, room, a tall, slender Arctic Fox was writing on a thin block of ice, the last of two hundred to be exact.

"Ah, yes. With my useless sister away I have had plenty of time to finish my memoirs" he said in a high class English accent. And with that he placed his pages together and displayed them on the small mantel piece. "Now all I need is a title. Maybe, There and back again, no, no no. Or, maybe, Lord of the Fox, no, no. Wait. By Jove, I've got it."

And he quickly grabbed a sharp icicle and carved onto the front of the book "The Ballad of Clifford Wolfsworth."

"Now _that_ is a jolly good title. The inspirational story of a lowly Fox from the North Pole who-

"Mr Wolfsworth. Mr Woods is here to see you" came the Scandinavian voice of a tufted puffin with a bow tie around his neck.

"Ah, yes. Excellent. Send him in at once, Finlay."

"Oh, yes Master. And will there be anything else?"

"That will be all, thank you, Finlay. Your shift has just ended. Give my regards to your wife Barbara and your son... Sam, is it?"

"Well, Sven. Actually sir."

"Very well. Goodnight Finlay. Now then, Mr Woods" he said to a timid adelie penguin. Around this penguin's neck was a foreign seashell. "Did you find something that's helpful and useful to me for once."

"Well, um, senor, I found a secret entrance to the Emperor Land fish supply."

"Ah, yes. Fantastic. And what did you steal. Trout, Clownfish, is it Icelandic Cod, oh_ tell me_ you found Icelandic Cod, just _TELL ME_."

"Um, I found Icelandic Cod."

"Oh, joy to the world."

"Well I actually didn't steal any fish."

Hearing these words made Cliff stop in the tracks of his celebrations. He then clicked his fingers, summoning his two pet leopard seals. Woods saw this and begged on his knees for his life.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no. Por favor, señor, le ruego que me sobra. Por favor, dame otra oportunidad y no voy a fallar. Oh, por favor, señor Wolfsworth si muero, quién cuidará de mi hijo Ramón. Soy todo lo que tiene, por favor. Lo haré hasta que el jefe, te lo prometo! Abre tu corazón, señor. Estoy orando para usted!"

"Sorry old boy, but you are of no use to me anymore" Cliff said coldly. "This business is kind of like an omelette. And you know, you just can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs". And with that, Cliff picked up Woods by the collar and threw him screaming into the pit of Leopard Seals, who were quick to tear him apart.

"Such a disappointment" Cliff said as he wiped the drool from his lips that were previously slobbering with his thoughts of Icelandic Cod. "Oh and Finlay, before you go, send a messenger to Adelie Land to tell Woods' son of his father's little 'fatal accident'. Oh, he will be so upset."

"Oh, yes, Master" Finlay said nervously before he went to spread the news.


	7. Chapter 7

Mumble was studying in his room. His roommate Chrysta had gone to the sign-up-club-and-sorority party about an hour and a half before hand. Being alone with his work caused Mumble to compare it to life before he came here. It was a little bit lonely, but it was nice to be in privacy, no one to mock or gloat or laugh at him, he could just be himself. So yeah, aside from loneliness, it was paradise.

When suddenly, the window burst open and a penguin jumped into the room quicker than a cheetah on the African Plains. Mumble would not have recognised this character if the events of that morning did not happen.

"Johnny" he said before the cunning gentoo forced them both against the corner of the room, his flipper over Mumble's mouth. Mumble could not contain his confusion of what was going on, as he struggled to get this penguin's slimy flipper off his beak, trying to speak of his anger.

"Hm, hm, jhny, wht gng n?"

"Shhhhh" Johnny responded before Mumble finally managed to free himself.

"DON'T TELL ME TO SSHH, YOU PIECE OF WHALE SHI- Mumble started before Johnny covered his mouth _again_. It was then that Mumble heard voices outside the window. They sounded similar to Johnny in accent, only more aggressive and hostile.

"Come on now, he can't have just disappeared" came one of the voices, which after Mumble looked out the window was revealed to have belonged to a short, stout gentoo penguin.

"Shut up, Sullivan" came the voice of his colleague. He was a lean, tall gentoo with a neck-tie around his neck "He may be a slippery character but I swear to Guin, when we find him, I am going to give John Harrison Khan Sherlock Pitt a well deserved, lesson teaching, bloody good hiding. Now come on."

When they had gone, Johnny loosened his grip on Mumble and relaxed. "Ha ha, Andrew Moriarty. Right eijit, he is. Oh, hello again Mumble, we just keep bumping into one another don't we lad. So, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here. What are you doing in MY room?"

"What are you on about, boy" Johnny asked before turning around and seeing the room "This is not your room, this is my...not my room, this is not my room."

"So, why was "he" chasing you?" Mumble asked out of curiosity.

"Who. Andy. Oh aye, I had taken something from him that he really liked."

"Oh boy. Okay, so tell me, master burglar, what did you take."

"Well, I'm glad you asked, my fluffy friend" Johnny said before reaching into one of the pockets on the belt he was wearing. But then suddenly his confidant smile turned into a shocked frown. He searched all his pockets, barely audible words coming out of his mouth very quickly. "Oh, good Guin! Where is it! Where is it! No, no, no, no, no! This can't be right."

"What are you doing?" Mumble asked. Just then, he noticed a small object under the window sill. he picked it up and observed the tiny treasure. It looked like a small statue of a Skua, sort of like the ones who told him about the aliens, but without the alien tag on it's leg, and the fact that it was made of solid gold. "Um, Johnny, is this yours?."

"Oh, not now Mumble I need to find the Gol-". His face began to shift back to a smile when he saw what Mumble was holding, and he jumped up and down giddily as he ran over and took the trinket from Mumble. "Ha ha, you little thief in the shadows!"

"What is that thing anyway, Johnny?"

"Well, Mumble, this is Moriarty's most prized possession: The Golden Skua. You see boy, this belonged to Andrew's mother Abigail, Guin bless her soul. After her (clears throat) passing, Moriarty kept this beautiful trinket in his trophy cabinet. Although the place was pretty bloody empty so it really did just clash with the wallpaper. So...I just decided to relieve him of his (clears throat) burden."

"So basically you stole it."

"Yeah, pretty much. Although, it really will come in handy for me. It'll make the LOFAO look like the real deal."

"Wait a sec. The Lofo-feo-what?" Mumble asked, curious of his companion's little revelation.

"No, the LOFAO. The **L**egion **O**f **F**reaks **A**nd **O**utcasts. We're kind of like the bottom sorority on campus."

"Hhmm, freaks and outcasts, huh? You know, that sounds like the perfect place for me, where do I sign up, Johnny?"

"Oh, no Mumble" Johnny protested. "You really _don't_ want to join our team. We're really the place to go for freaks and outcasts and people who just don't fi-oh, right" it was then that Johnny came to his senses and remembered Mumble's current situation. "Well, I wouldn't be an honest penguin if I didn't say we wouldn't be happy to have you lad. You can come with me when I go to give this golden skua to the gu- it was then that Johnny realised that his prize was once again not in his pocket. He turned around and saw, to his horror, the Golden Skua rolling out the opened door and into the hallway.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!STOP THAT SKUA!"

The two penguins raced outside the room and chased after the statue until they came face-to-face with:

"Hello Johnny. DID YOU MISS ME!"

"Oh no. Look Andy, you can take me and do what you want, but just let the boy go. He has nothing to do with it."

"Very Well" Moriarty said mercifully. "Sullivan, the boy goes free."

After a brief pause, Johnny suddenly yelled "HA, PSYCHE!" before head-butting Moriarty and tripping Sullivan over. "Come on Mumble, let's go get that skua" before they both darted off after it.

Rubbing his forehead in pain and anger, Moriarty picked up a sharp icicle and said "RRRAAAGGGHHH! SULLIVAN! KILL THOSE PENGUINS!"


	8. Chapter 8

Mumble and Johnny continued their pursuit of the Golden Skua as it rolled across the hallway and bounced down the stairs, with Sullivan and Moriarty not far behind. Mumble lost his step at the top of the second flight of stairs and rolled down them clumsily, knocking into Johnny about halfway down the fourth flight and sending both of them out an open window with the Skua in hand. They were lucky enough to land on some soft snow. Fortunately I cannot say that Moriarty and Sullivan were as lucky when they followed, crashing through some solid ice, just inches away from where Mumble landed, and into a swarm of krill. Inside said swarm a young krill saw Moriarty sinking with Sullivan soon following. Confused, he looked to another krill and said "hey Bill, what the fish do you think that thing was?"

"When we see something we don't know we are supposed to _ignore_ it. You know that Will."

"I know, but, I think it might have been a pin-gu-in."

"Oh Will Willy Williams you really do have a _bizarre_ imagination. A pin-gu-in, ha. We'll probably never see one of those ever again!"

Meanwhile, back on the surface, Mumble and Johnny finally relaxed in relief. After all, they took the Golden Skua from Andrew Moriarty and got away with it. They had all right to celebrate.

"Ha, ha. We did it, Mumble. The Golden Skua. LOFAO rules! Ye-hes!" Johnny exclaimed in victory.

"Yeah, that was really... exciting!" Mumble said. He was never really one for adventure and danger, but he really did enjoy the little adrenaline rush that kicked in when they ran away from Moriarty.

"You know, I wouldn't expect this on a Friday, Mumble."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean all this; you know, stealing a valuable object, evading death at the hands of a psychopath. This is more of a typical _Saturday_ night for me."

"What makes _this_ like a Saturday, Johnny?" Mumble asked before the ice burst open in front of them. Emerging from the water came a wet, cold and _very_ angry Moriarty who said through his frozen breath "y-y-y-y-y-y-you w-w-ill d-d-d-d-d-d-DIE!"

"Mumble" Johnny said before they made a run for it. "Let me explain Saturday nights to you" and with that he picked up a snowball and threw it at Moriarty, hitting him directly in the forehead (so now poor Moriarty had to topple brain-freeze on his already head-butted skull) before they escaped. Despite Moriarty following them with a sharp icicle, Johnny was bold enough to sing about his average Saturday night.

**JOHNNY:** _It's gettin' late, have you seen my mates._

_Ma, tell me when the boys get here._

_It's seven O clock and I wanna rock, wanna get a belly full of beer._

_My old man's a drunker than a barrel full of monkeys,_

_and my old lady, she don't care._

_My sister looks cute in her braces and boots, a handful of grease in her hair._

_Oh, don't give us none of yo aggravation,_

_we've had it with yo discipline_

_Oh, Saturday nights alright for fightin'_

_get a little action in._

_Get about as oiled as a diesel train,_

_gonna set this dance alight._

_Cause Saturday nights the night I like,_

_Saturday nights alright. (Alright, alrigh-ha-height, woo-hoo-hoo-hoo)_

Mumble was getting increasingly annoyed about this. Sure, he could credit Johnny for being a talented artist, but now was the time for _escaping certain death_, not singing. Mumble then realised they were heading through a giant snow arch that had the possibility to collapse if too much pressure was applied from the inside. And he had just the tools to do so. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Moriarty, who was still in hot pursuit. Mumble closed his eyes, and slowly began tapping his feet, which then began to tap faster and faster and faster. To keep his feet in rhythm, Mumble began to think up a small, groovy song in his head.

_Looking back on when I, was a little nappy headed boy,_

_and my only worry, was for Christmas what would be my toy,_

_Tryin' your best to bring the water to your eyes,_

_Thinkin' it might stop her from whoopin' your behind,_

_I wish those days, could, come back once more_

_why did those days, ev-er have to go,_

_I wish those days, could, come back once more_

_why did those days, ev-er have to go,_

_cause I love em so!_

Surprisingly, even to Mumble, his idea worked. The arch began to crumble around them, as they all darted to the exit. As Moriarty ran a large chunk of ice fell from the ceiling and landed on his right foot, preventing any escape. Mumble saw his foe screaming in pain and terror with the ice and rock falling around him. As bad as his first impression of Moriarty was, he could not just leave him. It would be no better than him killing them. Mumble turned for Moriarty and ran as fast as his tiny tapping feet could carry him.

When he reached Moriarty, the confused crime lord looked up at Mumble and said "what are you doing you fool. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Well that's a nice thing to say to the penguin that's trying to save your tail feathers" Mumble said sarcastically as he pushed the ice berg off of Moriarty's foot. As they escaped the arch, a piece of ice picked the three of them off their feet like a sled, sending them down the hill, straight towards the sign-up-club-and-sorority party.

_Meanwhile, elsewhere..._

Chrysta walked alone through the bustling crowd of students. She had been there for almost two hours and not a single team wanted her to join. Maybe they didn't like Arctic foxes. _Oh, well, maybe Mumble was right_ She thought to herself._ Maybe I should have just stayed in tonight._Just then, she saw an iceberg with two gentoo penguins and a young emperor penguin, who Chrysta immediately recognised as Mumble. She raced to the ice sculpture of Noah the Elder that was at the centre of the campus and stopped right in front of it. As the ice-sled raced closer to the statue, Chrysta put out her paw like a crossing guard, trying to stop the group.

"Chrysta, move!" Mumble yelled.

"Come on, woman, move it!" Johnny shouted aggressively. But Chrysta did not budge, at least not until the blunt hard edge of the sled made contact with her, pushing her closer to statue, just managing to stop when her back was pressed right against the foot of the sculpture.

Mumble stepped out of the sled and got out the skua to check for any scratches, before Johnny picked him up and yelled to the crowd of gathering students "we got the golden skua!" to which the students immediately responded with a cheer and applause.

Until suddenly, Johnny had his flippers in the air with an icicle to his head at the hands of Andrew Moriarty.

"Oh, come now, Andy" Johnny said nervously "lets just talk about this."

"Oh, so now you want to talk, do you, green eyes. no more silent treatment, no head-butting, no snowballs."

Just then Moriarty looked at Mumble, and paused briefly. Then, he dropped his icicle and looked Johnny in the eye, saying "Congratulations, John. Today you live, because of your little friend over here". He then bent down to the slightly shorter Mumble and said "thank you, happy feet. I owe you one."

"Its fine, Mr Moriarty. I don't need anything, thank you."

"Well, in terms of this little trinket, (the golden skua) I pray that you take this as a token of my gratitude. We will meet again, Mumble Happy Feet. I'm sure of it". And with that, Moriarty picked up his icicle, and left the scene, without even turning back.


	9. Chapter 9

When Moriarty had left, Mumble turned to Chrysta and thanked her for her actions.

"Aw, don't mention it, fluffy".

"No, Chrysta. I'm serious. The way that you just stood in front of the icicle like that, was just... awesome."

Not only did Mumble see her heroic behaviour, but it seemed as though the entire campus noticed. Seymour walked up to Chrysta, saying "Woah that was some stunt, man".

"Why, thank yo- Chrysta began as Seymour walked straight past her and over to Mumble and Johnny. Soon all the big penguins on campus were surrounding the pair.

"You are Guin's Jocks material, freshman" one of the sorority leaders said.

"Oh no. Not you again, GJ. They're Fish Fighters guys."

"Yeah, I'll take it from here, dudes" came a strong, confident voice. It belonged to a chinstrap penguin with turquoise eyes. he introduced himself as "Barry Felonious Tamland, president of the LOFAO" as he shook Mumble's flipper. "What's your name, fluffy?"

"Mumble. My...um...friends call me Happy Feet".

"Yeah, see Barry, this is that one I told you about" Johnny explained to his old friend, who began to giggle curiously. "Wait, so you're the one who can't sing, oh my Guin!" his curious giggling was beginning to turn into uncontrollable laughter. "But seriously, kid" Barry said once his laughter had dissolved "I honestly don't think you need to sing, because if you ask me, anybody with the skills, and the bal- I mean, to do something like that has the word "success" written _all over_ him". This comment caused Mumble to check his body for any sign of success, but this was soon put to a stop when Johnny later explained that what Barry said was a _metaphor_, therefore_not literally_.

Meanwhile, Chrysta began to realise that her actions had not been noticed by_ anyone_ on campus. Her sorrows were beginning to come back to her until she saw Gloria going into a party with all the popular kids. _Hey, I know Gloria_ Chrysta thought to herself, _this is my perfect chance to mix with the cool kids_. And with that, she ran up to Gloria, who was busy talking with her old elementary school friend, Katniss.

"Wow, I could not believe that was Mumble out there. It makes me feel bad for always making fun of him, Gloria" Katniss said full of guilt. "I mean, what he just did took skills and courage. I probably never could do something like that."

"Hey, guys" Chrysta said clumsily before tripping over the top of the porch steps of the building. "What about what I did with that ice berg, that took skills, right."

"Woah, woah, back off, Whitey" Katniss said sternly. "This party is for students of Antarctic Academy".

"Oh, that's okay. I know Gloria. We're buddies, right Gloria."

Katniss turned to Gloria and said "well, d'you mind talking to your friend over here."

"Well" Gloria began. "She's not exactly my _friend_, but, okay. Well, you heard her Crystal."

"It's Chrysta!"

"Yeah, whatever. Look, this party is for students of Antarctic Aca-

"I am a student! We were in the same class today!"

"I mean students who...you know...fit in". This comment hurt Chrysta badly inside. Any confidence she had developed during her time at this school had just drowned in Gloria's words. However, she managed to fight back her tears and say "I can fit in this school just as much as you can, Gloria!"

"Yeah right. You're a useless freak of nature and it's all you'll ever be!". This time everyone in the room heard Gloria's comment and began to laugh at and mock Chrysta. Some began calling her names such as "Freak" and "Loser" while others began to throw fish and snowballs at the poor fox. Humiliated, Chrysta ran crying from the room, and onto the main campus, racing past Mumble in the process.

"Woah, Gloria" Katniss said. "Wasn't that last one a little _harsh_?"

"Who cares, Katniss" Gloria said arrogantly. "She's an Arctic Fox. It's not like she has _feelings_ or anything, right*".

Chrysta walked into the bedroom, throwing her discarded earrings onto the floor, and wiping the fish guts and tears from her eyes, walked over to the balcony and looked over the edge, seeing all the penguins having fun while she sat alone in her room.

"Stupid Gloria" she said bitterly. "Stupid cool kids think they're so cool. Why? just because they laugh at people who are different. But they'll see. Yeah, they _will_ see. One day, I'll be superior to them, and when I am, I'm gonna take out my hatred and anger on those bully's smug, arrogant, little faces. and then _they_ will be the ones grovelling at _my_ feet!"


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, at the LOFAO gathering room, the members were sat in a circle for something Johnny called "Group Therapy". It was basically where the members, who all have mental or emotional problems, express their negative feelings in the group. Mumble did not see the need for this, as he was quite talented at repressing his emotions (after all, he had been doing so for about five penguin years). As they began their session, Barry rubbed the sleep from his eyes and said "Okay, good morning everybody. Now, who wants to go first."

Johnny, who was in the seat next to Mumble, was quick to raise his flipper.

"Yes, Johnny. What's your story."

"Yes, hi. Well, I seem to have made a breakthrough with myself. See, last week, I received a D in my fish catching lesson, and A+ student Andrew Moriarty laughed at me, which provoked my anger and led me to punch him in the face, causing his beak to bleed. It was then that I realised that, I wasn't mad at him. I was mad at all those kids who used to tease me in elementary school. I mean,_(sniffle)_ it's not _my_ fault I liked to go to drug houses in third grade! _(clears throat)_ so, yes, thank you for listening."

"Okay. Thank you for sharing. Also, we have a new member today, Mr Mumble Happy Feet. So then, Mumble, do you have anything to share."

Mumble looked up at the group and said "Oh, um, no thanks, I have nothing to say."

"Really, Mumble" Johnny said. "You sure that nothing is bothering you."

"Yes, I assure you, I'm fine. Nothing is wrong with me". Mumble was beginning to get nervous with everyone watching him. He hoped Johnny would stop his pressuring and leave him alone. But no, old Jonathan Pitt had to rub some more salt in the wound.

"Mumble, I know there's something you're hiding. And that's what this group is about; expressing your feelings without any negative consequences."

"I have _nothing_ to share. I am perfectly _fine_. Now, can we _please_ find someone else to say something."

"No, I've heard about you, Mumble, the singing, the dancing. You have a problem and you don't even kno-

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM!" Mumble snapped loudly. "YOU REALLY THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT ALREADY! OH, GOOD GUIN, MY PROBLEM IS THAT I CAN'T SING. NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY. I'VE TRIED LESSONS, I'VE TRIED PRACTISING IN PRIVATE. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING TO STOP MY FEET FROM DOING THIS! he yelled before briefly tapping his feet to show everyone what he was talking about. "I'VE TRIED HOLDING THEM TO STOP THEIR MOVING AND TYING HEAVY WEIGHTS AROUND THEM. YOU KNOW, I'VE EVEN TRIED STABBING MYSELF IN THE FOOT WITH AN ICICLE. I WAS IN PAIN FOR WEEKS AND I DIDN'T TELL ANYONE. NOT GLORIA, NOT MY DAD, DAMN IT, NOT EVEN MY MOM! SO, YEAH, JOHNNY, I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM, AND I DON'T NEED _YOU_ TO TELL ME!"

Johnny was surprised by this, but he was happy that Mumble was beginning to make a breakthrough. Until suddenly, Mumble just took a deep breath, instantly calming down and saying "I-I-I'm s-s-sorry about t-t-h-h-at, everyone. I may have just lost my temper there. It won't happen again, I promise" before sitting back down.

Johnny was the first to notice this spontaneous change in Mumble's behaviour. When their session was over, and Mumble had left the room, Johnny stayed and talked to Barry and their friend Fantine, who was a female chinstrap penguin with deep brown eyes, about the same age and size as Barry, in private about what had happened.

"Well, I just don't know if you've noticed, but that's not normal behaviour" Johnny said with a hint of concern.

"Look. I don't really see any need for that kind of concern" Barry said gently. "Remember, Mumble told us that he never had friends growing up."

"Not to mention that negligent father he's always on about" Johnny added quickly. "Treated the poor lad like he didn't even exist. I mean, come on. Triumph starts with a try and ends with an umph. Ha, some philosopher, eh?"

"Yeah, poor Mumble" Fantine said sadly. "I've never seen someone all shy and quiet one minute, then suddenly lash out with fury, then suddenly go back to shy and quiet again. It's like he has no self-respect."

"You know what?" Johnny said as an idea flowed into his head. "Mumble needs an intervention."

"You're kidding, right?" Barry said doubtfully. "How are you going to talk to him? We've already seen what that does to him."

"Not me" Johnny said. "Us. All three of us. Look, one-on-one interventions can sometimes seem a little tense, forced and in some cases, mildly _confrontational_. That's why group interventions are better cause they're a more..._civilised_ approach."

Fantine was the first to object to this. "But even group interventions get a little hostile from time to time, Johnny. I mean, what if Mumble doesn't agree to it."

"My very next stop, Fantine" Johnny said confidently. "We'll surprise the kid at the BigSchool Sing-off's tonight. He'll be in our seating area and we'll take it from there. And remember, even if it does get slightly hostile, we must remember. This is all about Mumble getting better."

* * *

When Mumble raced back to his room, he opened the unlocked door but found no one there.

"Chrysta" he called, to no reply. Mumble turned around to see his room mate walking out of the bathroom. Or at least he thought it was Chrysta, for she looked, well, a little _different_. He just couldn't figure out _why_.

"Mumble" Chrysta said, trying to get her friend's attention, who was staring blankly into space, lost in his imaginings. And then it hit him. He realised what the difference was. Chrysta wasn't wearing her spectacles. In their place she was wearing a dark indigo Antarctic substitute for eye-liner. And her hair wasn't in it's usual plait. She had just completely _let it go_ and had a ponytail down to her waistline. So yeah, she did look different. It was a good different.

"Earth to Mumble. Hello, anybody in there" Chrysta said sarcastically, finally knocking Mumble out of his trance of thought.

"Oh, sorry, Chrysta" Mumble said. "I was just thinking about how different you look. You're beautiful."

"Oh, thank you" she responded. "So, are you going to the show."

"Excuse me?"

"You know, the BigSchool Sing-off's. Hosted by Tony Lazarus, the king of cool."

"Oh yeah, right. Forgot about that."

"So are you coming."

"Well it's a Saturday so yeah, why not."

"Okay, let's go. We can get some good seats if we go now."

"Not that it matters" Mumble said proudly. "I think my friends from LOFAO have a special seating box, I think all sororities do."

"Oh, okay" Chrysta said. "I guess you lead the way, Mr Happy Feet."

"Whatever you say, Ms Wolfsworth" Mumble said as they set off to the show, with little knowledge of what was going to follow...


	11. Chapter 11

When they arrived at the show, and entered the seating area, Mumble recognised quite a few of the penguins there from Emperor Land. There was Slick Seymour with his "main penguin man" Party Petey, and then there was Cool Katniss with Messy Mildred. He remembered one time when he walked home, they all lept out of nowhere and threw snowballs at him. He had snow in places he didn't even know he had. _Oh the laughs they had_, Mumble thought to himself.

It was then that Mumble saw Johnny waving at him from about ten metres away, causing himself and Chrysta to follow. As they sat down, the stage lit up with bright blue lights, and a small Humboldt penguin, Tony Lazarus, stepped up and shouted "MAKE SOME NOISE!" to which everyone replied with a cheer, after which several acrobat penguins danced on stage as Tony sang his song, which went something like;

**Tony:** _Ya'll ready for this?_

(INSTRUMENTAL)

**Tony:** _Get down with the sound,_

_House on the ground,_

_Freeze when I squeeze,_

_Drop to your knees,_

_You must have bet I'm in here to stay,_

_Ready to take you around the way,_

_So get ready for this, mind your own biz,_

_Cause I am back ,yeah, the microphone biz,_

_Need to sit, cause we 2 Unlimited,_

_Ready, ready, ready for this! __  
_

When he had finished his song, Tony said "WHAT IS UP-UP-UP EV-ER-Y-BO-D-Y. I'm Tony Lazarus and welcome to the Antarctic Academy's BIG. SCHOOL. SING OFF'S! This is our annual show where all you talented young singers out there get a chance to show the world what you can do!"

While they sat down, Chrysta said to Mumble "Mumble it's a little hot in here. I'm just gonna go outside and get some air".

"Oh okay. I'll see you later Chrysta."

When she set off down the aisle, Chrysta bumped into a small penguin, who just happened to be her newly found nemesis Gloria.

"What are you doing here, Elsa."

"My name...is...CHRYSTA!"

"Like a give a fish. You don't belong here. Get lost, you freak!". This conversation began to attract other penguins in the aisle, who could tell this wouldn't end well. It was then that Chrysta felt something snap inside of her and lost it. She had managed to sum up her hatred of Gloria's arrogance with the phrase "I HAVE JUST AS MUCH OF A RIGHT TO BE HERE AS YOU DO, YOU STUCK UP LITTLE FUZZ BALL!"

Gloria was surprised by the courage that Chrysta suddenly had to stand up to her, but it didn't stop her from making a retaliation with "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT RIGHTS, YOU'RE A NOBODY! YOU PROBABLY CAN'T EVEN SING!"

"I CAN SING A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN YOU CAN!" Chrysta said aggressively.

"Oh please" Gloria said. "Get your book out, cree-star. You might wanna take notes."

**Gloria:**_ Doctor, Doctor, need you back home baby,_

_Doctor, Doctor, where you at, give me something,_

_I need your love, I need your love, I need your lovin'_

_Ya got that kind of medicine to keep me comin'_

_My body needs a hero, come and save me,_

_Something tells me you know, how to save me,_

_I been feelin' weird, oh, oh I need you,_

_To come and rescue me._

As Gloria finished her verse, Chrysta was quick to take over. As her enemy sang, Gloria noticed that Chrysta had a _beautiful_ voice, even more angelic than her own.

**Chrysta:** _Make me come alive, come on and turn me on,_

_Touch me, save my life, come on and turn me on,_

_I'm too young to die, come and turn me on,_

_turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, ta-turn me on!_

_Make me come alive, come on and turn me on,_

_Touch me, save my life, come on and turn me on,_

_I'm too young to die, come and turn me on,_

_turn me on, turn me on, turn me on, ta-turn me on!_

Chrysta's singing managed to get her thunderous applause and cheering. Tony noticed this and said through his microphone-like object "Awe-ha-some! There we have it, everybody! A fantastic performance by-what's your name?"

"Chrysta Wolfsworth."

"Miss Chrysta Wolfsworth, everybody!"

Chrysta enjoyed the attention from the crowd, but it was showing Gloria up that she enjoyed most. She gave the young penguin a look that seemed to say_ Ha-ha-now-I'm-the-popular-one-and-you're-the-loser-look-who's-laughing-now_. As Chrysta bowed and blew kisses to her new fans, something hard and very cold hit her in the back of the head, knocking her to the floor. It was a snowball. When she recovered from her short brain freeze, Chrysta turned around and saw the culprit. Gloria. They faced each other, the veins in Chrysta's eyes beginning to show with her anger.

"You fluffy feathered fish!" Chrysta snapped angrily.

"You vile vocalised vixen" Gloria snapped back.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the LOFAO seating box, Mumble's friends were beginning their surprise intervention.

"Okay, Mumble" Johnny said calmly. "We are here to talk to you about what happened this morning in group."

"O-o-o-o-k-k-k-kay" Mumble said nervously.

"Mumble" Barry said. "This is an intervention."

"An inny-what-who?"

"Mumble" Fantine read off a small piece of ice. "I am your friend. We all are. But, we can't just lie to one another. What happened today wasn't normal behaviour. We are here to help you."

"Mumble" Johnny quickly cut in by reading from his own sheet of paper(or whatever penguins have for paper). "We understand that your father was, well, a bit of a di-"

Just then Mumble dropped a small piece of paper that fell on the floor.

"I'll get it" Johnny said kindly, picking up the sheet and reading it quietly. "Mumble, what's this?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I mean, just a few notes. Can I just have that back please."

"Hold on, hold on" Johnny said, reading the sheet curiously. "Mumble... this is a song."

"What. No. No man. I mean a song? Are you kidding me? No, no dude. (sigh) Yes. It's a song."

"Wow, these are some funky lyrics. I really can imagine rapping this part."

"yeah well, too bad no one is ever going to sing it. Now please, just please give it back."

"Oh my Guin!" Barry said, looking down to a lower aisle. "There's a fight going on down there". The rest of the gang looked with him, Mumble included. He tried to convince himself that he did not know these people, but Johnny just had to say "hey Mumble, aren't they in our singing class?"

Mumble ran towards the door before Johnny grabbed him by the arm and gave him the piece of paper back. However, once Mumble left, Johnny revealed that he had given Mumble his speech script, and that he was saving Mumble's song for later.

Mumble lept out of the seating area and ran towards the fight, shouting the names of the two delinquents while he was at it.

"Chrysta! Gloria!"


	12. Chapter 12

_Later..._

Mumble and Johnny were sitting in a small diner with Gloria and Chrysta, who had gotten all four of them kicked out of the show for fighting. Gloria was covered in bumps and bruises, the only serious of which was a five centimetre long scratch on her left cheek, whereas Chrysta sported a right eye that was blacker than the feathers of an adult Emperor penguin, with a small bird feather up her left nostril to stop the blood that was still gushing out after her confrontation with Gloria.

"Okay" Johnny started. "It has come to my attention that you two don't like each other."

"Ha. That's an understatement!" Chrysta snapped sarcastically.

"Indeed" Johnny responded, less than impressed. "Okay, so, if you ask me, I believe an apology is in order."

"Yes. Perfect" Gloria interrupted. "Exactly what I was thinking."

"Uh, Gloria" Mumble said quietly. "I think Johnny means an apology from _you_."

"WHAT! AN APOLOGY FROM ME? WHY SHOULD I APOLOGISE TO HER? LOOK AT MY FISHING FACE!" Gloria reacted aggressively, pointing to the scratch on her cheek.

Chrysta just shrugged her shoulders and said under her breath "If you ask me it's an improvement."

Unfortunately Gloria heard this comment and shouted "OH, THAT IS IT!" before sending herself and Chrysta rollicking to the floor, knocking over the table in the process.

* * *

_Much later..._

The four of them were sat at another table at another restaurant, due to Gloria and Chrysta getting them kicked out for fighting _(again)_. The only difference this time was that Chrysta now had a bird feather up her right nostril as well as her left, almost perfectly symmetrical in a way.

"Well, I think we can all agree that last time didn't work so well" Johnny started. "I realise now that we need to know _why_ you two hate one another. Do you mind going first, Chrysta."

"Don't mind at all" Chrysta said proudly, before counting Gloria's "flaws" with her fingers. "Little Miss Emperor Land over here is arrogant, stuck up, and actually, she really is stupid."

"What the fish is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that, you think your singing is so good, when even _I_ sing better than you."

"Come on, Carrie."

"It's Chrysta!"

"Yeah, yeah. But, do you really think you have a shot at beating me at the exams."

"Actually, I _do_ have a shot at beating you in the exams."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"DO TOO! Think about it. Were you even listening. Everybody thinks I sing like an angel. Even Tony Lazarus thinks so. How could I possibly lose?"

"Because you're a FREAK! and that's what's supposed to happen. I _win_ and _you_ lose."

"Check the scoreboards, Gloria. Not anymore!"

"Well, I think it's time we counted _your_ flaws, Cassie" Gloria said smugly before making her list. "You're an Arctic Fox. You don't belong here. Who even brought you to Antarctica in the first place?"

"If you must know, my parent's did."

"Oh, yeah. Mr and Mrs Wolfsworth were even bigger idiots than you!"

"You take that back!" Chrysta said, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"Bringing their family to somewhere where they would never fit in. And I guess they never saw that leopard seal coming."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Chrysta shouted, lunging at Gloria's throat, knocking over a table and a waiter in the process.

"Damn it" Johnny said. "We didn't even get to order this time."

* * *

_Much, much later..._

After that previous escapade, not only were the four of them kicked out of that diner, but _no other_ restaurant would let them in for the rest of the night. It was because of this that they just went back to Mumble and Chrysta's room, sitting on the beds for their intervention.

"Okay, so, I guess it's not going to work with you two talking to each other, so Mumble and I have decided that we will each talk to our respective room-mates _alone_."

And with that, Gloria and Johnny exited the room, talking just outside the door, leaving Chrysta and Mumble alone. After a brief awkward silence, Mumble opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Chrysta.

"WHO DOES THAT SNOT NOSED LITTLE INGRATE THINK SHE IS! OH YEAH, JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS BORN LITTLE MISS PERFECT AND EVERYBODY ELSE LOVES HER MAKES HER BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE!"

"Now Chrysta, just calm down for a mi-

"WHAT GIVES HER ANY RIGHT TO TREAT ME LIKE THAT! SHE SAYS SOMETHING MEAN TO ME AND NOW EVERYBODY'S ON HER SIDE! I MEAN, I CAN BE JUST AS MEAN AS SHE CAN! SHE SINGS LIKE AN ANGEL, I SING LIKE A GODDESS! SHE HITS ME INTO THE FLOOR, I WALLOP HER INTO NEXT WEEK!"

"CHRYSTA PLEASE!" Mumble said, his voice suddenly going louder than usual. "You really think that just because she hits or insults you gives you right to do the same?"

"Ha, of course. Like my brother always says. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. And frankly, I-

"Yes but there's another saying. Treat others the same way that _you_ want to be treated."

"We all have to get respect somehow, Mumble."

"And is this how you want to get respect? through violence and fear?"

These words made Chrysta think for a moment about her actions. She then wiped the blood from her lips and hugged Mumble tightly,whispering a small "I'm sorry" in his ear. Mumble was surprised with what Chrysta was doing. He had never been hugged before. It felt good. "Thank you Chrysta" he said.

Just then Gloria came back in with Johnny, the first thing she saw being Mumble and Chrysta hugging. This angered Gloria momentarily, before she just shrugged it off. After all, friends hug all the time, right? That was until...the _kiss_. As Chrysta hugged Mumble she gave him a small friendly peck on his right cheek. Seeing her hug Mumble made Gloria angry, but seeing her kiss Mumble made her go_ bezerk_.

"THAT IS IT! LET ME AT HER! LET ME AT HER!" she screamed as she lunged at Chrysta, only to be pulled back by Johnny with all the strength he had. "YOU CAN SHOW ME UP AT THE SING-OFF'S! YOU CAN SCRATCH MY FACE OFF, BUT SEDUCING MY BEST FRIEND RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME? NO WAY!"

"Now calm down, calm down. Try not to lose your temper" Johnny said panicking.

"You know what, Johnny" Chrysta said calmly. "Mumble over here has given me an idea of what I have to say to Gloria."

"Really" Mumble asked, surprised.

"Yes, Mumble. I know just what I have to do".and with that, she bent down so that she was eye-level with the slightly shorter Gloria, and said "Gloria, I think I have something to say to you."

"Okay" Gloria responded.

However, contradictory to the apology they were all expecting, Chrysta instead said "I am gonna wipe the floor with you at the exam!"

"Oh, please" was Gloria's response to this as she shrugged off Johnny. "You're not even _half_ as good a singer as I am."

"You're right. I am not half as good as you. I'm _twice_ as good as you! Just you wait, little miss Emperor Land. I am gonna be spinnin' circles around you this year!"

"Yeah, I would like to see that, Courtney" Gloria mocked as she left the room, with Johnny following.

"Oh, yeah" Chrysta said as she put her previously discarded glasses back on. "And don't worry, Gloria. You're gonna see it. Everybody is!"


	13. Chapter 13

Meanwhile, at Wolfsworth Manor, the maniacal tycoon Cliff Wolfsworth was waiting by a large fish tank for his 10 'O' clock appointment to arrive. When the doors behind him flew open and a small figure walked in. He was a King penguin, with several scars around his mouth and face, as well as being blind in his left eye, which he covered with a small piece of cloth he found on one of his many adventures. Amused, he watched Cliff feeding the 5 baby leopard seals that were swimming in the tank, without making his presence known.

"Hello, my precious wittle babies" Cliff said to his pets in a typical "mommy" voice. "Are you hungry? I bet you are" He continued as he popped a large trout into the tank, which the infant seals were quick to fight over. "There you go, you beautiful wittle psychopaths."

"Er, Mr Wolfsworth" the scarred penguin said, trying to get his colleague's attention.

"Yes, my fluffy wittle fwend" Wolfsworth responded, still with his head in the clouds.

"Excuse me?"

Once Cliff realised what he was doing, he quickly cleared his throat and spoke in his normal voice. "Ah yes, good afternoon mister...

"Barnes. Winter Barnes. I was told that you have a proposition for me."

"Yes, I have a job for you that involves maximum initiative. For you see, my previous colleague was a bit of a disappointment" Cliff answered, holding a foreign seashell in his hands which had previously belonged to Mr Woods. In fact, it even had a few teeth marks from the leopard seals. Barnes was no stranger to what Wolfsworth was capable of, and knew that he had to do this job right. _For his own sake_. "Well, I will try m-m-m-m-my b-b-b-best to i-i-i-i-impress you, s-s-s-s-sir" he stuttered. Once he could speak properly, he asked "so, any chance of an orientation, Mr Wolfsworth."_  
_

"Hmm, indeed. Come with me."

Barnes followed Cliff to his basement, which lead to a large underground factory-like workshop, with large ice-machines being built and tested by what appeared to be hundreds, if not thousands, of small, weak penguins and seals, each of a different species. These poor, defenceless creatures were chained with shackles made of solid ice. The machines were being made from ice that was collected from dark tunnels where more slaves were cutting large pieces of ice that was then loaded into carts that were driven to the ice deposits where the bergs were cut into the shape of a piece of the machines being assembled and cemented together. Barnes heard the workers singing a song to help them through the heavy lifting and hard work. The song went something like this;

_Born of cold and winter air_

_And mountain rain combining,_

_This icy force both foul and fair_

_Has a frozen heart worth mining_

_So cut through the heart, cold and clear_

_Strike for love and strike for fear_

_See the beauty, sharp and sheer_

_Split the ice apart_

_And break the frozen heart_

_Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!_

_Hyup! Ho! Watch your step! Let it go!_

Beautiful!

Powerful!

Dangerous!

Cold!

_Ice has a magic, can't be controlled._

_Stronger than one! Stronger than ten!_

_Stronger than a hundred men!_

Hyup!

_Born of cold and winter air_

_And mountain rain__ combining!_

_This icy force both foul and fair_

_Has a frozen heart worth mining!_

_Cut through the heart, cold and clear!_

_Strike for love and strike for fear!_

_There's beauty and there's danger here_

_Split the ice apart!_

_Beware the frozen heart..._

This song made Barnes slightly uncomfortable, but he nonetheless managed to listen to Cliff's explanation of his scheme.

"You see, Barnes. The main currency of Emperor Land is fish. The emperors elder, Noah, was just stupid enough to hire me to be an official financial advisor to Emperor Land. I have recently convinced Noah to invest into Wolfsworth Industries, previously owned by my father and his father before him."

"Oh, yes sir. Your father was a good ma-I mean fox."

"Indeed. He once promised my sister and I that one day this company would be ours. I just couldn't wait for that day to come, and so, when we came here to Antarctica, I discovered that this was the habitat of the fair but foul leopard seal. So I thought to myself, what if when we came here, suppose my beloved parents would have a little _fatal_ _accident, _leaving the company in decent hands. _My_ hands, to be exact. Oh, but then my idiot sister would get in the way of everything. So, I managed to find her a scholarship at Antarctic Academy. A perfect little distraction for dear Chrysta."

"So, what was the hold-up?"

"Everything was going smoothly. My family's soothsayer then told me of a prophecy."

"A prophecy?"

"Yes, Barnes. The prophecy went something like this...

_A fox would rise to Emperor Land, and a plan will twist and turn..._

"Well, what was so bad about that. You're going to rule Emperor Land."

_But a dancing freak will rise to the task, and the fox will fall and burn._

"Oh, right. But that's not such a big deal. Prophecies aren't always right."

"I plan to fulfil this prophecy to my advantage. My plan is to sell these ice machines to Emperor Land, and with the push of a button, these drones will self destruct, levelling the land of the Emperors. It is then that I will rebuild the land as Foxopolis, an empire ruled by it's rightful king: me. We will take Emperor Land within hours, within days, the South Pole, and within weeks, the continent. Antarctica will be mine!" Cliff said before cackling menacingly.

"But what do you plan to do about the dancing freak, sir. You don't even know who he is."

"I have been informed that there is a penguin from Emperor Land who has been born without what they call a _heartsong_. They call him Mumble Happy Feet. They say he currently resides at Antarctic Academy and shares a room with my fool of a sister, whom he has befriended. We shall go to this Academy, where we will find and dispose of this _dancing freak_.


	14. Chapter 14

_Monday morning..._

When the class had started, the first thing Professor Corningstone did was for the class to show their typical singing poses.

"Okay, students. Ready positions and... _common song_!"

It was then that all the students jumped into the usual singing pose.

"Okay, I want to see backs straight, chins up, chests out. And well done, Miss Gloria" the professor said, remarking Gloria's perfect position to sing. As Corningstone walked on, she told the students to practice new poses for Thursday . However, Gloria was completely ignoring this, choosing rather to pull funny faces and blow raspberries in Chrysta's face.

_Monday evening..._

Chrysta and Mumble sat on their respective beds, reading book after book after book on how to be a better singer. the titles of these books included "The Poses and Postures of Singing", "Songs and Serenades", "How to train your vocal chords". When one was finished with a book, he or she would swap books with the other. Chrysta paid particular attention to every single word of every single book. She was determined to pass that exam and rub Gloria's nose in her success. She was thinking of what to say to Gloria when victory was finally hers. She was thinking along the lines of "Who's the loser now" or "na na-na-na na, I beat you!". Something like that, anyway.

_Tuesday morning..._

The professor had organised a pop quiz that, and it seemed that Mumble just happened to know every answer to every question.

"The answer is A. a heartsong!"

"Hm, very good, Mr Happy Feet."

"It's D. sticks and stones!"

"Correct" Corningstone said proudly as she ticked a question that read "- and - may break my bones."

"F. a penguin without a heartsong is barely a penguin at all!"

"Right again."

Before Mumble could answer the next(and hardest) of the questions, Chrysta covered his beak and said "It's a Bass, Professor!"

"Hm, impressive, miss Wolfsworth" This urged Chrysta to stick her tongue out at Gloria, who just shrugged it off in annoyance.

_Tuesday evening..._

Gloria walked over through the penguin library and grabbed a medium sized book called "Heartsinging for rookies and MORONS". She tested it's weight, counted it's 250(or so) pages and said "yeah, this'll do". She brought it to her friend Katniss' room and, rather than reading the book, threw it at the skua that was always perched on Katniss' balcony, shouting "and don't come back" in the process.

_Wednesday morning..._

Gloria walked out of class holding a small piece of thin ice: her test paper from the mock exam that day. She hugged and high-fived Katniss, who was waiting outside for her, and was asked "So, how was the test?"

"Probably awesome, as always" Gloria said smugly, before Chrysta and Mumble walked out with their papers. As they were both A+, it was typical of Chrysta to show off these results to Gloria as they left, before Gloria showed Katniss her paper, a D- which was littered with comments such as "Disappointing" and "Are you fishing kidding me?" as well as over a hundred unhappy faces .

_Wednesday evening..._

Gloria jogged back to her room after an hour long run to clear her head, when she saw Chrysta jogging home as well, and ran faster. Chrysta may be smarter than her, taller than her, prettier than her, better at singing than her, but she was _not_ going to be faster than her. Gloria would not allow it. Unfortunately, Chrysta saw the look on Gloria's face and increased her own speed, driving Gloria to go faster, only for Chrysta to speed up, and vice versa several times until they both headed for the steps, and raced up the 50 steps to the main building. Gloria resorted to tripping Chrysta over and sending her down the steps, only for the latter to use the stretchy headband she was wearing to slingshot herself about ten steps ahead of Gloria. Finally they both reached the last two steps and, crawling on their hands and knees, reached the top at the same time, before falling unconscious seconds later.

_Thursday morning..._

Professor Corningstone had the students in line again, in ready positions for their check-ups. First she walked over to Mumble.

"Okay, Mumble. _Common song_. M-hm. _Michael Jackson_. Yes. _Yo-yo pose_. Very good, as always, Mr Happy Feet."

It was then that she walked over to Chrysta. Very good.

"_Common song_. Yes. _Dirty Trollop_. Very good. _Gangsta mon._ Magnificent, Miss Wolfsworth."

Finally, she walked to Gloria, who was in the exact same _common song_ position as Monday._  
_

"_Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut_. A little bit clichéd, isn't it, Miss Gloria."

As the teacher carried on her check, Gloria looked at Chrysta, who, in response to the raspberries Gloria blew at her on Monday, simply returned the favour.

_Thursday afternoon..._

In Emperor Land, Mumble's parents Memphis and Norma Jean were sitting at home, wondering what their son was up to.

"Oh, I can't believe it Memphis. Our precious little Mumble's been gone for a week now."

"I can't believe that boy" Memphis responded. "Why's he got to be so different?"

"I just hope he passes that exam at the end of the semester. I hear Veronica is his teacher."

"Veronica Corningstone. Oh, mama, that boy is not gonna be a singin' major for long, I'll tell you now."

Just then, Professor Corningstone, who was just on her lunch break, walked up to the couple and said "Norma Jean? Is that you?"

"Veronica? Oh my Guin! Long time no see. How are you?"

"I'm fantastic. But I'm also here to talk to you about your son Mumble."

"Oh, good grief" Memphis said in agony. He wasn't upset with Mumble. He was furious with himself. After all, he was the one who dropped Mumble as an egg, and never even bothered to tell Mumble about it. _Poor kid_, he thought. Living the life that Mumble had must be torture.

"Your son Mumble" Veronica began. "Is the best student that I have ever taught". These words made Memphis surprised and proud of his son. "Are you sure you have the right parents?" he asked.

"Yes indeed. Mumble told me personally of his heritage. I had a pop quiz on Tuesday and there wasn't a single question he couldn't answer. Except the one that Chrysta answered of course. Anyway, he got a perfect score on his mock exam. He had the intellect of an Elder, of course, that would be no surprise considering his parentage. I'm just glad he takes his brain from_ your_ side of the family, Norma Jean."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Memphis asked.

"Don't play dumb with me, Memphis. We were all singing majors remember, all the time that Norma Jean and I were studying you spent either getting drunk or defacing private property with Maurice."

"Oh, yeah. Good times."

"Anyway, the exams are next week, and I think that your son is going to pass those tests with flying colours, unlike his father."

"What. Just because I didn't study and turned up three hours late to class means I get kicked out of the programme. Ha, what a show."

"Although I must admit, Mumble's friend Chrysta has helped him to gain some confidence."

"Wait. Who's Chrysta?" Memphis and Norma Jean asked in sync.

"Oh, yes. Chrysta Wolfsworth. She's Mumble's room-mate. They're very close."

"Oh, I see" Memphis said curiously.

"Well, it was good catching up with you two. I must be off, my next class is about to start. Goodbye Norma Jean."

"I'll see you 'round, Veronica" Norma Jean responded as her friend left her and Memphis alone.

"Well, isn't this great. Mumble's been gone for a week and he's already at the top of the class _and_ even has a girlfriend."

"Yeah, I know. I can't wait to meet this Chrysta."

"I just hope she's penguin enough for him".


	15. Chapter 15

That night, Chrysta slept in her bed opposite to Mumble's and squeezed her pillow tightly in her sleep, muttering things to herself, waking her room-mate from his sleep. "You need to go now, Mumble. Please, just stay back" was one of several things she said to herself in her slumber. "I don't want to hurt you". Mumble was correct to presume that Chrysta was having a nightmare, one of the worst of her life.

_Chrysta ran up the stairs with Mumble in close pursuit._

_"Chrysta come back" he shouted._

_"Mumble stay back please, then you can be safe from me" Chrysta responded._

_"Please, Chrysta. Just let me help you. We can fix this together."_

_Chrysta swiped her claws in Mumble's direction, causing him to yelp in plain, slashing him across his chest, leaving a bleeding wound just below his throat._

Chrysta woke from her nightmare, screaming in agony.

"Chrysta, calm down. Calm down. I'm here" Mumble said trying to comfort his friend.

"Oh, Mumble, I just had a terrible nightmare. I was climbing some stairs, you were following. You were trying to be nice to me, and I _attacked_ you, Mumble."

"Don't worry, Chrysta. It was just a dream. You'd never do something like that, I'm sure of it."

"But you don't know that, Mumble. Damn it, not even _I_ know what I can do. Gloria's right. I _am_ a monster. No one cares about me. Not even my own brother cares about me."

"Look, Chrysta. You don't have to listen to them. They're not always right. Chrysta, your problem is that you just listen to everything that _they_ say about you. You think, that just because everyone says so means that you don't matter. But you know, you matter to somebody, Chrysta. You matter big time."

"Thank you, Mumble" Chrysta said before giving him another of her surprise hugs. Just then, the sun rose through the window and their alarm clock (a small contraption created by Chrysta that was designed to sound when the sun rose) went off.

"Oh, yeah, Mumble, I have something for you" Chrysta said as she reached behind her bed, pulling out a small box, and handing it to Mumble excitedly. "What's this?" he asked curiously.

"They're voice changing throat capsules. My father invented them. These will help you sing better. Come on, try one" Chrysta said before Mumble swallowed one of the small mints. "What happens now?" he asked.

"Well, try singin' something" Mumble then thought of his father's heartsong, the one he used to win his mother over. He swallowed deeply, and sang with a voice exactly like his father.

**Mumble: **_Weeelll, since my baby left me,_

_I found a new place to dwell,_

_It's down on the end of lonely street,_

_at, Heartbreak Hotel, yeah._

_I'm feeling so lonely, baby._

_I'm feeling so lonely._

_I'm feeling so lonely I could die._

Chrysta clapped in joy, happy that Mumble could sing at last. "These are incredible, Chrysta. Thank you."

"You're welcome. You have to take one about once every 24 hours."

"How can I ever repay you, Chrysta?"

"Mumble, I need nothing from you now. You being my friend is worth more than all the treasures of all the world."

_"Really?"_

"Yes, of course. We have a lot in common, you and I. Nobody likes us. You're a freak, I'm a freak. This is a tough world, Mumble. We need each other."

"Yeah, I know right. When I'm with you, Chrysta, I feel like I can just be myself and just speak my mind without any negative repercussions."

"Mumble allow me to speak my mind with a little song" Chrysta said before breaking into this song, which went something like this;

**Chrysta: **_All my life has been a series of doors in my face,_

_And then suddenly I bumped into you._

**Mumble: **I was thinking the same thing! Cause like

_I've been searching all my life to find my own place,_

_And maybe it's the party talking or the chocolate fondue._

**Chrysta: **_But with you._

_**Mumble: **_But with you.__

**Mumble:**_I found my place._

**Chrysta:**_I see your face._

**Mumble and Chrysta:** _And it's nothing like I've ever known before,_

_Love is an open doooooor,_

_Love is an open doooooor,_

_Love is an open door._

**Chrysta:**_With you._

**Mumble:**_With you._

**Chrysta:**_With you._

**Mumble:**_With you._

**Mumble and Chrysta:** _Love is an open door._


	16. Chapter 16 WARNING: VIOLENCE!

_Exam day..._

Mumble and Chrysta walked up to the class room, both nervous about the exam that day. Mumble appreciated the voice changers Chrysta had given him, but he decided not to use them today. He knew very well that he probably wouldn't be able to sing without them, but he didn't want to cheat, because he'd rather lose but feel like a winner than win and feel like a loser.

Meanwhile, Gloria walked to class with Katniss, filled to the top with confidence. "When I'm done with that mutt, she'll wish she'd never messed with Gloria of Emperor land."

"Well, you'd better hope so" Katniss said with a hint of concern in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Gloria, I'm sorry but, the group of friends that we've established are the best singers on campus. I mean, I'm okay about it, but, Seymour and Millie probably won't be friends with somebody who was shown up by some geeky furball" Katniss answered, pointing to Chrysta as she skipped in with Mumble.

"Come on, Katniss, I'm gonna sing circles around her. I'll destroy her an-

"And then you'll be right back in with us. It's just in case you don't" Katniss interrupted before walking away. "I'm sorry Gloria, but it's time to start delivering on that angelic voice of yours."

In the exam hall, Professor Corningstone was giving her pre-test announcement. "The end-of-semester exam. For you, it means continuing in the singing course or not. For me, it means vacation time is almost here. Now we have a few special guests. My good friend Norma Jean is here with us this morning, as well as Mr Clifford Wolfsworth, CEO of Wolfsworth Industries."

Her brother's presence only made Chrysta all the more nervous, Mumble on the other hand was actually a lot happier that his mother was here. After all, she was the one who always believed in him. She also liked his tapping feet, unlike his father, he thought to himself, as he remembered the first thing his dad said to him about his feet:

_"I wouldn't do that around folks son. It just ain't penguin."_

"So then, Mr Wolfsworth."

"Oh, please, call me Cliff. Everyone else does."

"What brings you here then. I came to see my baby Mumble."

"Oh, I am here to see what dear Chrysta has learnt, if anything at all" Cliff responded. Norma Jean was no stranger to the name Chrysta, as Veronica had already told her about Mumble's new "friend".

"Oh, you know Chrysta. Are you a friend of hers?"

"Oh, heavens no. Chrysta is my younger sister. She's just there, next to the blue-eyed penguin" letting Norma Jean see for herself the young girl sitting next to Mumble. _An Arctic Fox_, she thought. _Out of all the girls he could have picked, Mumble is dating an Arctic Fox. Oh, for the love of Guin_.

"Miss Wolfsworth. Would you like to go first?" Veronica asked as she sat on her desk.

"Oh, yes Professor, right away" was Chrysta's response, as she turned to Mumble, saying "Okay, this is it, Mumble. Judgement day. Wish me luck" before kissing him on the beak, gently, but still so that Gloria could see. This angered Gloria deeply, just like Chrysta had planned. She was tempted to attack Chrysta again, but resisted it. After all, staying in with the cool kids was more important than beating up some furry freak. She'd just do it later anyway.

Cliff had also noticed Chrysta's actions, as his anger bubbled within him. Not only was his sister kissing a penguin, but the very penguin he had come here to kill. Oh, the things he would say to her when he got the chance to.

"Okay, Miss Wolfsworth" Professor Corningstone said to Chrysta, who was standing on the platform at the front of the class. "What is the highest of the average vocal range?"

"That would be the Countertenor, Professor."

"Demonstrate, please."

Chrysta took a deep breath and sang in the highest voice she could.

**Chrysta:** _It's not about the money, money, money,_

_We don't need ya money, money, money,_

_We just wanna make the world dance,_

_Forget about the price tag,_

_Ain't about the (yeah) Cha-ching, Cha-ching,_

_It's more about the (yeah) Ba-bling, Ba-bling,_

_We just wanna make the world dance,_

_Forget about the price tag._

This impressed the Professor so much, that she gave Chrysta an eight out of ten on the exam papers, congratulating the young fox in the process. Next, she called up Mumble, who was stopped by Chrysta just before hand, handing him a small bottle. "Here, Mumble, have a drink. It makes you less nervous" was her explanation. Mumble went onto the platform, and the Professor asked "Mister Happy Feet, what is the lowest note of the male voice?"

Mumble thought for a moment, looked up at his mother, then at Chrysta, before answering "um, wouldn't that be the Bass notes, Professor."

"Demonstrate."

Mumble closed his eyes, and thought of all the horrible things people had said about him, and what he had said about himself over the years, he opened his beak, and sang with the most beautiful of voices

**Mumble:** _I could go from London to LA,_

_I could look a million times a day,_

_Can you say it's never gonna change,_

_It's never gonna change,_

_There's a billion girls in the world but there's only one you-uo-oo-oo, you-uo-oo-oo,_

_A billion girls in the world but there's only one, one, one, one you!_

This also earned him an eight out of ten as he ran back to his seat, hugging Chrysta in gratitude. Mumble could not believe it. He had not taken any of those voice changers since last week. Maybe he was getting better himself. Next it was Johnny's turn, as he walked up proudly to the platform. Corningstone asked him what was the second highest of the male vocal range. He answered correctly with the Tenor, and began his folk-song style demonstration.

**Johnny:** _It's sad to say, I must be on me way,_

_So buy me beer and whiskey cause I'm goin' far away,_

_I'd like to think I'll be returning when I can,_

_To the greatest little boozer and to Sally Maclennanne!_

Johnny's fantastic performance earned him a nine out of ten from Corningstone, the highest rating of the class so far. Next, it was Gloria's turn, as she looked to the back of the class and saw Katniss with Seymour, Millie and Petey, just putting her under even _more_ pressure. She walked up nervously to the platform, with the Professor waiting on her desk.

"Alright, Gloria" the professor began before Gloria cut in with her song. "What is th-

**Gloria:** _I hear your he-a-a-rt beat to the beat of the drums!_

_Oh what a shame that you came here with someone,_

_So, while you're here in my a-a-arms,_

_Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young!_

"Well, admirable talent, Miss Gloria. Worth a ten indeed" was Veronica's initial reaction, urging Gloria to stick her tongue out at Chrysta, that was until the Professor continued "However, failure to answer the question results in you receiving a seven out of ten", which provoked Chrysta to return the favour. Gloria looked up to the back of the class, only Katniss there, her other friends having left the classroom seconds beforehand (the door was still open and everything). Gloria stormed out furiously, but not before walking up to Chrysta, saying "listen to me, you ugly albino dog. I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I'll get you for this, Wolfsworth. I promise you."

After class, Norma Jean went up to Mumble and hugged her son.

"Oh, I can't believe it, Mumble. My little baby boy is all grown up. Your father will be so proud of you."

"Mom, please. Not in front of the guys" Mumble said, slightly embarrassed by his mother's presence, what with Chrysta, Johnny and Barry right behind him. Just then, Cliff walked up to Chrysta and said "Chrysta, dear sister. Can I have little word with you. In private."

"Oh, sure, Cliff" Chrysta said, before following her brother to the now empty classroom. "I'll see you at the clubhouse later Mumble" she said before closing the door behind her.

"So, Mumble. We're all going out to celebrate. Are you coming with?" was Johnny's direct question to Mumble once his mother had left.

"Wow, that sounds great, Johnny. I'd love to" was Mumble's response, before leaving with Johnny and Barry to meet Fantine at the cafeteria.

_Meanwhile, in the classroom..._

"You stupid girl" Cliff shouted, striking his sister across the face, causing her to fall to the floor.

"Cliff, please, I can explain, I wa-"

"Kissing a penguin, yes, I saw that. I'm not stupid, Chrysta."

"But Mumble's my friend, I was just wishing him luck" Chrysta tried to explain before earning another slap from her much stronger brother, who was turning red with rage.

"I sent you to this school so you could learn how to grow up, not fool around with the opposite species. What would Mother think. I always knew you were naive, but I did _not_ know you were this useless."

"Cliff, please, I beg you" Chrysta pleaded, wiping the trickle of blood from her lips.

"You are a disgrace to me, and to the Wolfsworth name" Cliff said, turning around toward the door. "Oh, and I wonder how _terrible_ it would be if something were to happen to, um, Mumble, is it? It would be such a shame."

No, Cliff, please" Chrysta begged, getting off of the floor and running to her brother saying "Cliff, please, just don't hurt Mumble. It's not his fault, please. Cliff, no." Chrysta suddenly felt anger swell within her as she said "if you were half the fox that Dad was then you wou-ah!"

"I am ten times the fox that Father was!" Cliff said angrily as he struck her across the face, the blow sending her four feet away, landing on the hard floor, earning her a cut under her left eye in the process.

"Learn to keep your tongue!" Cliff snapped aggressively before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving a bloody and beaten Chrysta alone in the room.

"I'm sorry, Mom and Dad" She said quietly under her breath. "I'm sorry."

Thinking of all the loved ones that she had lost saddened Chrysta deeply, as she tucked her head into her hands and sobbed quietly, with no one there to console her, in the large, dark room.


	17. Chapter 17

Mumble sat at the table with his friends, each of which with a drink in his or her hand.

Johnny stood on his chair and raised his glass. "To Mumble and me," he toasted, before adding, "and Chrysta, when she gets here."

Just then, the doors flew open and Chrysta ran in, wearing sunglasses made of dark coloured ice. When she sat down, despite being in quite a dark room, she did not remove these sunglasses.

"Hi, everybody" she said as she sat next to Mumble. "Sorry I'm late, I was just having a little chat with brother."

"Oh, yeah, how was he?" Mumble asked curiously.

"Oh, you know, fine, really. He just wanted to talk about the little, you know, thing I did before I went on."

"What, kissing me?" Mumble said. "He realised that was just a wish-me-luck kiss between friends, right?"

"Oh, yeah. He was fine, honestly" Chrysta stuttered unconvincingly.

"You wanna take off those sunglasses Chrysta?" Fantine asked. "You probably can't see, can you?"

"I'm fine, I swear" Chrysta insisted, before Johnny just happened to push into her by accident, knocking them off of her ears, exposing her eyes to the group, the right of which being so black and bruised that she could not even open it, no doubt thanks to Cliff.

"Oh my Guin!" was Barry's reaction to seeing Chrysta in this state. "What has that brother of yours been doing to you?"

"Look guys, please. It wasn't Cliff, it was my own fault."

"There's nothing you can do that could give your brother to beat you senseless like that."

"I'm telling you I just...I-I-I-I wa-wa-walked into a door."

"Well it must have been a door made of solid ice if that's what you got away with" Johnny protested.

"IT WAS! I-I-I-I mean it was. really solid ice" Chrysta said, but Mumble could read her like a book, he knew she was lying, and he knew Cliff was responsible.

When Johnny had given Chrysta a piece of ice to put on her eye, there was a knock at the door. Johnny opened it, saying in a Vincent Price-like voice "Who dares be so bold as to come to the house of the Legion of Fr- ah, just kiddin', what can I do for you, one-eye?"

"Hello. Barnes. Winter Barnes. I would like to join your group."

Winter had come here as mission given to him by the plotting sociopath Cliff Wolfsworth, in order to gain Mumble's trust and kill him, as well as keep his one good eye on Chrysta. When they were gathered, Barry said "Okay, as president of the LOFAO, I would like to welcome Mr Barnes over here to our team. Winter, is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself?"

"Well, okay, if you must insist" Winter said. "My name is Winter Stanley Barnes. I was born in King penguin land. I am blind in one eye and I am mentally unstable. This has made me an outcast from my people and that is why I have joined you."

"Well, we welcome you, Winter."

"Thank you very much."

* * *

That night, at their room, Mumble said "Chrysta, you want me to take a look at that eye for you?"

Chrysta responded "oh, no thanks. It's nothing serious, honest."

"Chrysta" Mumble said with a more serious tone in his voice. "Do you really expect me to believe that you walked into a door made of solid ice?"

"Okay" Chrysta sighed, knowing that Mumble could see right through the ruse. She sat down on a chair, Mumble holding a small piece of freezing cold ice that he put over her injury. It stung like a knife piercing her skin, but she knew Mumble was trying to help her, so she let him.

"You know, Chrysta, if I was you, and if I were related to that bully of a brother that you have, I'd just give it straight back to him. I wouldn't just sit there and take it."

"Yeah" Chrysta responded, thinking of all the terrible things that had happened to Mumble in his life, all the names he'd been called, all the kids that had laughed at him just because of his feet, summing up all of her thoughts with the question "so why do you?"

Mumble sighed and thought for a moment. His answer to her question was simply "because everything they say about me is true. I am just a twitchy footed freak and it's all I'll ever be."

"Mumble, you are not a freak" Chrysta protested. "If anyone is a freak here it's me. An ugly, useless freak, that's what my brother calls me."

"Your brother is WRONG!" Mumble said, his voice louder than usual, before quickly going back to calm and gentle. "Chrysta, you are not ugly or useless. I should know, you're my best friend."

"Really" Chrysta asked.

"Yes. You're the most considerate, beautiful creature I have ever met" Mumble said before noticing that Chrysta had her eyes closed and was slowly leaning towards him, with her lips in a kissing position. Mumble did not really know how to respond to this. Yes Chrysta was his friend and he liked her, but he didn't like her like this. Panicking, he grabbed the first thing he could, which just happened to be a fish, and put it in front of his face, leaving Chrysta's lips to collide with the fish's.

When Chrysta opened her eyes and, believing it was Mumble that she had just kissed, said "wow, you are a really good kisser, Mumble."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, ha ha" Mumble said, relieved that she didn't realise about the fish. However, outside of the window, there was a small masked figure that was looking at a picture they had just made of Chrysta kissing the fish that Mumble was holding, removing her mask to admire her handiwork.

"Oh, Mumble, you sly dog" Gloria said to herself before running back to her room. "At least now I have a plan B."


	18. Chapter 18

_One week later..._

**Katniss:** Hey Gloria.

**Gloria: **Hi Katniss.

Gloria greeted her friend with a hug.

**Katniss: **So, are you coming to my piano recital today?

**Gloria: **Of course, why wouldn't I. Of course there's something I need to do beforehand.

**Katniss: **What are you doing.

**Gloria: **Oh, it's nothing important. I just need to be there now. See ya.

**Katniss:** But Gloria.

**Gloria: **Yeah.

**Katniss: **You are coming, right.

**Gloria: **I promise.

And with that, Gloria grabbed a dark hood and left for her secret business. As curious as she was, Katniss had no time to think about what Gloria was doing. She could always ask her after the recital. But now she had to get ready for the show.

* * *

Elsewhere, Mumble walked round a large alley joined by Johnny, Barry, Fantine and Chrysta. Mumble was thinking to himself about what Johnny had said to him the day before. Johnny told him that he came from a Mafia-like family of crime, which explained his hatred of rival crime boss Andrew Moriarty. Mumble had also learnt that there were many other crime gangs in Emperor Land, each led by an animal of a different species.

When suddenly, Moriarty and Sullivan, joined by three other penguins, flew in riding their pet Skuas, and, spotting Johnny and Mumble, began circling the group, before landing and dismounting their rides.

**Moriarty: **Well, well, well. Johnny Pitt and Mumble Happy Feet. Out for a stroll with your fellow freaks, I see.

**Johnny: **Back off, Moriarty.

**Moriarty: **It's come to my attention that, ha ha, you got the top of the class in singing, eh Johnny boy. hm hmm, the old Sally Maclennanne treatment, was it.

**Johnny: **I've had enough of you, Moriarty. This is gonna end right here, right now. Let's dance, fish-kisser.

**Moriarty: **Oh, you want to dance, Johnny. Cause I'm about to _cut_ a rug.

As Moriarty took a sword made of ice out of a scabbard, Johnny unsheathed a long pipe that came from beyond the land of the elephant seals. As Mumble watched, he saw that Barry was now holding an ice carved trident, with Fantine armed with a curved shard of ice. Even Chrysta had two small penknives in her hands. Unarmed, Mumble quickly grabbed a small icicle that was on the floor. Johnny held his pipe in both hands and looked eye-to-eye with Moriarty, as his minions took out their respective weapons.

**Johnny: **Come get some, punks.

**Moriarty: **Alright. Let's do this thing!

However, before they could fight, a voice said "WAIT!" which belonged to a stout Maverick penguin with a long icicle in his left flipper, accompanied by his team.

**Zach Galifianakis:** It wouldn't be a battle without Hobo Joe Garner of the Garner drug-trade business. Tonight's dealer of the day is _me_, decapitating common conman Johnny Pitt!

**Johnny: **Ha ha, we're not scared of you, Garner. You guys couldn't sell substances if your life depended on it.

**Zach Galifianakis: **That may be true, but my friends and I ain't leaving here without blood on our flippers. Right team!

**Garner's minions: **YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!

Suddenly, another team arrived, led by a tall Adelie penguin with a cigarette in his beak.

**Liev Schrieber: **Not so fast, you cheapskates! Creed's loan sharks are here to come whack some schmucks, led by me, Victor Creed. No hidden fees, NO MERCY!

**Creed's minions: **KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!

Another team was soon to arrive at the scene, this time led by a female chinstrap penguin about a head shorter than Fantine.

**Kristen Bell: **Hasta labesta, mother-fishers! save some room in this fight for Marshall's Mafia Trading Merchants, with me, Anna Marshall.

**Liev Schrieber: **Marshall's Mafia Trading Merchants are just a bunch of slimy, greedy conmen!

**Kristen Bell: **And feel free to check out our weekly newspaper. Tomorrow's headline: "The ocean runs red...with the blood of Johnny Pitt!".

**Kristen Bell &amp; Marshall's minions: **RRRAAAGGGHHH!

It was then that, not a team, but a single penguin wearing a dark cloak, before pulling down her hood, revealing her identity.

**Gloria: **You guys got room in this fight for a beautiful young penguin like me?

**Mumble: **Gloria? What are you doing here?

**Chrysta: **Get lost, Gloria! You have no reason to be here!

**Gloria: **See, that's the thing, Caroline.

**Chrysta: **It's Chrysta!

**Gloria: **I've come here for one reason and one reason only. I take part in this fight, I get the fox's head!

**Chrysta: **Oh, I'd like to see you try!

**Gloria: **Good, because since Katniss' recital is in 25 minutes, I might as well enjoy separating your spine from your carcass!

It was then that Johnny walked to the centre of the circle of armies, preparing to give a pre-battle speech.

**Johnny: **Alright! Listen up you blokes! Now, I'm not going to sugar-coat this. From this point, there is no return. Some of us may die, some heavily disfigured, and in some cases, lasting friendships could be made! Now, I just want to lay down some ground rules. rule number one, nobody touches Mumble's hair.

**Mumble: **What!

**Kristen Bell: **If that fluffy one over there is Mumble then I agree with that rule. That haircut is cool.

**Mumble: **Well, thanks, I guess. You know, it's just my feathers, just grown them out and yeah, you know, but anyway, back to business.

**Johnny: **Okay, so, that's it for rules. So let's do this!

When Johnny returned to the group, the armies sharpened their weapons and prepared for battle. Mumble looked at the weapon that Barry was holding.

**Mumble: **Hey Barry, where did you get a trident?

**Barry: **I don't know.

Johnny looked at the other teams and rose his weapon into the air, as did the other leaders.

**Zach Galifianakis: **ONWARD!

**Liev Schrieber: **FORWARD!

**Kristen Bell: **TO BATTLE!

**Johnny: **ANDY!

**Moriarty: **JOHNNY!

**Chrysta: **GLORIA!

**Gloria: **WOLFSWORTH!

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Katniss began to play the clear ice piano while the fighting progressed. Coincidentally, Johnny began to sing his usual song while Katniss played the piano, despite her being half a mile away. Johnny's song fitted perfectly for the fighting.

**Johnny:** _Don't give us none of your aggravation,_

_We've had it with ya discipline,_

_Oh, Saturday night's alright for fighting,_

_Get a little action in,_

_Get about as oiled as a diesel train, gonna set this dance alight,_

_Cause Saturday night's the night I like,_

_Saturday night's alright._

_Saturday, Saturday, Ssaattuurrddaayy,_

_Saturday, Saturday, Ssaattuurrddaayy,_

_Saturday, Saturday, Saturday night's alright!_

As Katniss continued to play her piano, she looked around the audience to try and see Gloria. However, being unable to multi-task, she missed a few notes, sweating nervously.

Meanwhile, the fighting continued. All over the place there was blood and explosions. Barry was able to impale one of Creed's minions with his trident, while Fantine quickly overpowered Marshall. Johnny and Moriarty dueled fiercely, That was until Johnny poked Moriarty in the eyes, causing him to trip.

**Johnny: **I bet you didn't _see_ that coming! Ha ha!

Mumble saw Gloria sneak up on Chrysta from behind, before putting a knife to her throat.

**Gloria: **Now I'll be number one!

However, before Gloria could do Chrysta any harm, the latter grabbed her and threw her a hundred yards away.

**Chrysta: **No you won't!

When Gloria landed, luckily on some soft snow, she remembered what she was supposed to do that day, and raced to Katniss' recital. Despite her absence, the fighting continued, with Mumble being held by some of Marshall's guards, and saw Marshall with an axe in her flippers.

**Kristen Bell: **For the first time in forever, I sentence you to DEATH!

As Marshall readied her weapon to throw at Mumble, Creed shot up from behind her and stabbed her in the shoulder blade with a shard of ice. Marshall fell to the ground, muttering curse words in pain, as Creed readied his shard to strike again.

**Kristen Bell: **Oh, Good Guin. For fish sake, I did not see that coming. Ow, mother-fisher!

**Liev Schrieber: **Time to die, Marshall.

**Kristen Bell: **Wait, what?

**Liev Schrieber: **Say goodbye!

Before Creed could deliver a killing blow, Garner arrived and knocked him unconscious with a crowbar.

**Zach Galifianakis: **Goodbye!

Just as defeat was all but certain for Mumble and his friends, a flash of sunlight came into the dark alley, and a silhouette was visible in the light. the shadowy stranger threw an icicle at Moriarty, briefly subduing him. The hero stepped out of the light, revealing an unexpected arrival: Winter Barnes.

**Mumble: **WINTER!

**Winter: **Come on. this way, hurry!

Mumble and his allies followed their surprise saviour out of the battlefield. Moriarty woke up just in time to see their escape. He shook his fist in anger, cursing Johnny loudly.

**Moriarty: **Don't think you wont pay for this! Damn you, Johnny Pitt! DAMN YOU TO HELL!

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

Gloria barged through the doors to see Katniss' recital, only to find an empty room, with only the janitor cleaning up.

**Gloria: **Excuse me, sir. I'm here for Katniss' piano recital.

**Steve Buscemi:** Piano recital. Sorry kid, show's over. Ya missed it!

**Gloria: **Are you sure, because, you know, that can't be right. I mean, Katniss is my best friend, I promised her I would be here. I promised!

**Steve Buscemi:** Well, I guess you're one terrible friend!

As the janitor left the theatre, he said to Gloria a good piece of advice.

**Steve Buscemi: **Piece of advice, kid. Don't take your friends for granted. It's like money, really. If you spend your friends then soon you won't have any. See you round.

And with that, the janitor left the room. Gloria thought to herself. She had been such a terrible friend to Katniss. If only she hadn't tried to kill Chrysta th- then it hit her. This couldn't have been her fault. Chrysta just had to be so perfect, so talented. That's what caused Gloria to miss the show. This was _Chrysta's_ fault. Gloria would get her back for this. For Katniss' sake. She would have her revenge. She screamed in anger at her nemesis.

**Gloria: **CCCCCHHHHHRRRRRYYYYYSSSSSTTTTTAAAAA!


	19. Chapter 19

Cliff sat over the balcony of Wolfsworth Manor, holding the scarred foreign seashell that once belonged to his former colleague Mr Woods _(see chapter 6)_. Winter walked over to his employer, to which Wolfsworth responded with "Ah, Winter Barnes. Back from your little undercover mission, I see."

"Yes sir. I have joined their club, just as you instructed."

"Were they suspicious?"

"No sir. I have gained Happy Feet's trust, just as you planned."

"Well done to you sir. And of my idiot sister. What has she been up to?"

"Well sir, I have been observing Chrysta and Mumble, just as you asked."

"And?"

"Well, they're good friends, they like spending time together."

"Well, that's a relief. Maybe that incident at the exams _was_ just a good-luck-peck-between-friends, eh?"

"Ye-well...yes?

"You hesitated for a moment, there."

"Yes well, Hypothetically, I may or may not have seen Chrysta make a p-p-p-pa-pas-p-p-p-pass at Mumble."

"A what?"

"I think I saw her c-c-c-c-coming on to him."

"WHAT!" Cliff yelled furiously. "I warned that conniving little wretch. That pathetic, snivelling parasite. And she disobeyed me. That miserable tub-thumping rat. Perhaps it's time I paid her a little visit myself."

"Now, sir, you needn't worry" Winter interrupted. "She tried to kiss him, but he pulled away, he grabbed a fish while her eyes were closed. She ended up kissing that."

"She kissed...a fish."

"Yes, very passionately. And she still thinks it was Mumble."

"H-hm. Well, that is very entertaining. At least now I can continue my plan."

"Um, sir. What do you plan to do once Emperor Land is destroyed? _(See chapter 13)_.

"Well, once rid of that oversized glacier, we will rebuild the land as Foxopolis. I remember telling you this during your orientations, Mr Barnes"

"Yeah, but about Foxopolis. You really need to shed some detail on that, sir."

"Well, allow me to _immortalise_ Foxopolis, with a song."

Cliff then put on a top hat and grabbed a cane, and began to sing of his empire-to-be.

**Cliff:** _Welcome to my city,_

_Welcome to my land,_

_Welcome to the empire_

_That only I command._

**Winter: **(Spoken) Sir what does singing have to do with th-

**Cliff:** _Foxopolis, my metropolis,_

_The perfect place to be,_

_Foxopolis, my metropolis,_

_They'll bow to one, and that one is ME!_

_To get there you'll just go on down,_

_down, down, down to WOLFSWORTH TOWN,_

**Background singer 1: **_With Wolfsworth chocolate,_

**Background singer 2: **_Wolfsworth mints,_

**Background singer 3:**_ Wolfsworth shampoos with a rinse,_

**Background singer 4:**_ Everyone will have Wolfsworth keys,_

**Background singer 5:**_ Oh, life is such a Wolfsworth breeze,_

**Cliff:** _Hear me on the radio, on F-O-X-Y FM,_

(muffled voice) _Foxopolis, my metropolis,__  
_

_With news and sport, whatever,_

_Foxy traffics all backed up,_

_and now on to the weather_

**Cliff:** (Spoken) And I will rule over Foxopolis with an iron fist, and no one shall stand in my way. Today: Emperor Land. Tomorrow: Antarctica. Yes the entire frozen desert will bow before me, and soon it shall become...**  
**

**Background singers: **_Foxopolis: Mega-opolis!_

**Cliff: **(Spoken) My big old legacy!

**Background singers:** _Foxopolis!_

**Cliff: **(Spoken) Brillitanimus!

**Winter: **(Spoken) That's not a word!

**Cliff:** _It is to me!_

_Some will try to run and hide,_

_But they won't plainly see,_

_That when I'm dead,_

_You'll bow your head,_

_To a fox statue of ME!_

_So, welcome to my city,_

_Welcome to my land!_

_Welcome to the empire, that only I command!_

"So, then" said Cliff. "What do you think?"

"So, you're just gonna kill everyone in Emperor Land?" was Winter's reaction.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Cliff asked, gently putting a shard of ice to Winter's throat.

"No" said Winter, causing Cliff to remove the shard. "But I do have a question".

"And what might that be?"

"What if some penguins survive. Where will they live?"

"With me" was Cliff's answer.

"Oh, Okay."

"In my dungeon."

"D-d-d-d-dungeon, sir?" Winter asked as Cliff walked over to one of his many tanks of Leopard Seals.

"Indeed. I intend to use any survivors to my advantage. I will make them work away their strengths as servants and workers. And when they are weak and feeble, well, h-hm, my Leopard Seals have to eat too, you know."

Winter nodded nervously. "Yes, s-s-s-s-sir. They do. Well, I best be getting back to the clubhouse."

"Hm, indeed. And while you're there, tell my sister to hide her sexual urges for Mumble as good as she can, thank you."

"I will do that, sir" was Winter's answer before exiting the building. Cliff then realised he was alone, he could do what he wanted, and so he shouted "ONE MORE TIME!"

**Background singers: **_Welcome to his city!_

_Welcome to his land!_

**Cliff and Background singers:** _Welcome to the empire,_

_That only I ccoommaanndd! Foxopolis!_


	20. Chapter 20

Gloria walked into an ice cave to try and clear her head from what had happened that day. Chrysta was beginning to turn her life upside down. She made Gloria miss Katniss' piano recital that day, but that was nothing compared to what she had done to Mumble. Chrysta used to be a shy, bespectacled misfit, but now she was a perfectly voiced angel with beautiful blue eyes and a perfectly curved body. _She must have stolen Mumble's heart_Gloria thought to herself. Then suddenly a voice said "Gloria?" causing her to turn around, only to receive a hard punch to the face, sending her crashing to the floor, temporarily stunning Gloria. When her eyesight had cleared, she saw her attacker, who sported an angry expression on her face. "Katniss?"

"Oh, that's good" Katniss responded sarcastically. "You can remember my name but you can't remember my recital, can you?"

"What was that for?" Gloria asked as she picked herself up, still squinting slightly from the impact of the blow.

"I told you two weeks ago. TWO WEEKS AGO that you were invited to my piano recital that was at 3pm today, and you promised that you would be there. But then, two weeks after that, I went to my recital and started playing. I looked in the crowd, and you weren't there. WHY WEREN'T YOU THERE, GLORIA? WHY?"

"I told you that I had to be somewhere."

"Oh yeah, I heard. Big rumble in alleyway. I heard you were thrown a hundred yards away by CHRYSTA WOLFSWORTH! As in, Arch-nemesis-who-is-better-than-you-at-everything-Chrysta Wolfsworth!"

"She is not better than me, okay! I'm never going to let that happen! EVER!"

"Well then if she's not better than you, then she wouldn't be worth missing your best friend's recital in order to try and kill then, would she?"

"What was so important about that recital anyway? You don't even like piano."

"YES I DO. I'VE TOLD YOU OVER A HUNDRED TIMES THAT I LIKE PIANO. YOU JUST DON'T LISTEN! YOU NEVER LISTEN! IN FACT, IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE YOU'RE LISTENING RIGHT NOW!"

"I do listen" Gloria protested. "I know everything about you!"

"What's my favourite colour?"

After a brief pause, Gloria quickly said "Pass".

"What is my Mom's name?"

"Pass".

"What time do I go to bed?"

"Pass".

"What's my name?"

"Pa...oh, um, Kathy?"

"KATNISS!"

"Katniss, I said that! I said that! But, you probably don't know anything about me!"

"Your name is Gloria. Your mom's name is Michelle. Your favourite colour is bright crimson. You go to bed at 9:30 pm every night except on Friday when you go to bed at 11:50 pm, because, apparently Friday night is your me time!"

"What, it is!"

"And I also know that you are an arrogant, stubborn, self-absorbed, lying, manipulative, irresponsible, stuck-up brat who cares more about her extreme jealousy of an Arctic Fox than her relationship with her best friend!"

"Can you say that slower please. I still can't think straight after you slapped me silly back there".

"Well, maybe this can put some sense back into that thick skull of yours" Katniss said, before doing a perfect 360' backflip, kicking Gloria hard in the beak and sending her flying 6ft away. As Katniss flattened the ruffled feathers on her head back into place, she said to Gloria "oh, yeah, I also take gymnast classes, as I've told you before, not that you were listening."

Gloria stepped up off of the floor and said to Katniss "okay, that was two hits from you, and now it's my turn!" before lashing her fist at Katniss, knocking her slightly off balance, just catching her on the beak. Katniss looked at the small trickle of blood on the back of her flipper and said "Gloria, trust me, you don't want to do this."

"Just try me!" Gloria snapped before striking again, only for Katniss to block her attack and slam Gloria face-first into the snow. Gloria got up and said "let me guess. You also take Karate lessons".

"No, but if you weren't too self-absorbed to notice, I got into a lot of fights at Elementary School!"

The two former friends continued to fight for about twenty minutes, with most of Gloria's attacks being either slaps or punches with the minority of them actually hitting Katniss, who ended up throwing Gloria into the snow more often than not. By the time twenty minutes came by, Gloria was left with a black eye, a nose bleed, and a bite mark on her right flipper that bled vigorously. She was lucky that Katniss had enough after tackling Gloria to the ground for the umpteenth time, or else she would have got away with much worse.

* * *

_That night..._

Mumble grabbed a piece of freezing ice and placed it on Gloria's injured flipper, to which she responded with a scream of pain.

"OOWW! THAT HURTS! WATCH IT MUMBLE!"

"Look you wanted me to help, so let me!" was Mumble's answer to this. Gloria just sat there as Mumble tended to her injury, only making the odd hiss of pain every now and then.

"What made you want to attack Katniss today anyway."

"She was being a jerk! What was I supposed to do? I had to fight back!"

"No you didn't! Just because she says something about you doesn't make you invulnerable to pain. I mean, look at your eye!"

"It's collateral damage, Mumble. Besides, I'm pretty sure I was inches away from knocking her out with an uppercut!"

"I doubt that very much! You really think you stood a chance against Katniss. She once broke Seymour's nose! You can't win a fight against someone who takes gymnast lessons!"

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-wait! You knew she took gymnast lessons?"

"Of course. Everyone knows. I hear her talk about it every day."

"Oh, right."

"And by the way, can you just stop this petty rivalry with Chrysta. It's pathetic."

"What, she started it!"

"How, by not being a penguin. By not being you. Gloria, you hate Chrysta for the same reason everybody hates me. Because she's different."

"And because she's trying to be better than me!" Gloria quickly interrupted. "Of course, she thinks she's so perfect, with her rich brother, and her blue eyes and curved hips and big boo-

"You really think her life is perfect? Chrysta's brother beats her and insults her every time he sees her. You know, he once gave her a black eye and she said she banged into a door made of solid ice."

"You see, that's my point. If her brother's a psycho, then it probably runs in the family. Mumble, you can't trust Charlotte be-

"Chrysta".

"You can't trust Chrysta because once you turn your back on her, she's going to hurt you."

"Gloria, that's ludicrous. Chrysta's my friend. She cares about me."

"Cares about you? Mumble, she's an Arctic Fox. She can't feel. She can't love. The only reason she hasn't torn your carcass apart is because she needs you to get to me."

"No, that's not true" Mumble said, his breath beginning to slow as his anxiety began to bubble inside of him. He felt as though he was going to explode.

"Do you really think she kissed you out of care? She was just trying to make me jealous. Mumble please. I'm just trying to protect you before it's too late."

"Gloria, please, jus-

"Chrysta is not your friend and she never will be."

"Gloria, I'm warning you" Mumble said quickly, his anxiety beginning to turn into anger that had been mustered from all the insults he had been called, all the shame he put his family through. He wanted Gloria to stop but she just had to carry on.

"She may seem nice on the outside, but trust me, she's pure evil."

"Gloria. Stop" Mumble said through gritted teeth (or whatever penguins do).

"She's a heartless monster."

"THE ONLY HEARTLESS MONSTER HERE IS YOU!" Mumble yelled, his anger limit finally reached.

"HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT BEFORE CALLING CHRYSTA AN INSULT, OR DOING SOMETHING BAD TO HER, YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HOW SHE MIGHT FEEL! OF COURSE YOU DON'T!"

"Mumble calm down".

"YOU CALM DOWN!. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TREAT CHRYSTA LIKE A MONSTER. SHE HAS FEELINGS TOO!"

Mumble continued his rant before Gloria resorted to her final idea of how to pacify him. She quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into a long, passionate kiss, which caused Mumble's eyes to open to their full extent. Mumble had originally thought that she did this to calm him down, that was until he turned around to see the door wide open with Chrysta standing there with some of her books in her hand.

"Wh-a-what-th-the..." she stuttered.

"Chrysta, I can explain" Mumble said.

"How could you!" She screamed, throwing the books to the floor and running out of the room and down the hall, tears flowing from her eyes.

"Gloria, why did you do that".

"Well, if turning you against her wasn't gonna work, I'd just have to turn her against you" was Gloria's response, before Mumble sped out of the room to follow the fox.

"Chrysta, wait!"


	21. Chapter 21

Mumble chased Chrysta down the stairs and out onto the empty main campus of the academy, where she suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to face Mumble, who simultaneously skidded to a stop.

"Chrysta please, I can explain" he begged.

"Explain this!" she snapped before slapping him across the face. It didn't hurt much, but he came close to losing his balance.

"How could you do that, Mumble. After all I've done for you, you just go gallivanting off with Gloria."

"Look Chrysta, I-

"I've done everything for you. You wouldn't have gotten into the singing course if it wasn't for me!"

"Wait, what?"

"Come on, Mumble. How naive can you be. You really think it was your own talent that made you pass the final exam? It wasn't, okay! I practically _drugged_ you! I put voice changers in that water I gave you!"

"You did what!"

"Look, Mumble, you were my best friend. If you didn't get into the course, then I just wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Oh, but you can live with this? You said you believed in me! You said I could do it! But you're just like Noah! You're just like my dad! You're just like EVERYBODY ELSE!

"Oh no! You are not putting this on me, Mumble! This is not about me cheating! This is about you and Gloria!"

"Chrysta, I had nothing to do with that! I was just helping her. She got beat up today by Katniss. She came onto me, I swear, it's the truth. I didn't kiss her, she kissed me!"

Gloria was hiding behind a small iceberg, watching the scene unfold. She was within hearing distance of Mumble's alibi, listening to his excuse.

"Mumble, I'm sorry but it's so hard to believe. I've seen the way you look at her in class. Mumble, you've fallen in love with Gloria."

"Gloria is just my friend Chrysta. Nothing more. I have no interest in her whatsoever" Mumble lied, without knowing that Gloria was behind him, and had just heard everything he had just said. He turned around to see Gloria staring at him with a furious expression on her face.

"Gloria, I-

"No need to explain" she interrupted. "I heard everything. Thanks a lot, Mumble" and she turned and left angrily, however not before running up to Mumble and slapping him hard across the face (this time it really hurt!).

* * *

The next day, at the clubhouse, Mumble sat in silence as Johnny and the rest of the group sat and talked about the fight that happened the day before.

"That fighting got out of hand fast, didn't it" Johnny said.

"You guys were lucky that I just happened to be walking past" Winter responded.

"What do you think Mumble" Barry asked, to which Mumble didn't respond.

"Are you alright, Mumble?" Johnny asked.

"Um, yeah...yeah, I'm fine. It's just...um...nothing, forget about it" Mumble responded.

"Oh, I see" Fantine said."It's about a girl, isn't it".

"Plural" was Mumble's answer.

"Whoa-ho, two girls, you sly dog" Johnny said. "Is it Gloria. I bet it's Gloria."

"Correct, as usual, Johnny".

Barry said "ah, don't worry, Mumble. She'll get over it. She's just a woman."

"What's wrong with being a woman?" Fantine asked.

"Now, I-I-I didn't say there was a-a-n-n-y-y-th-th-thing wrong with it, I-I-I-I jus-" Barry stuttered nervously.

"Look, kid. I don't really know you, but I have some advice on life" Winter said.

"Okay" Mumble responded.

"Even if she doesn't get over it, you need to just let go of the bad stuff. Just do what I do."

"What do you do?"

"Why don't I explain what I do, with a song" Winter said before jumping onto the stage and singing his song of life advice.

**Winter: **_Let me tell y'all what it's like,_

_Being male, middle class and bright,_

_It's a fish if you don't believe,_

_Listen up to my new CD, sham on._

_I got sh- running through my brain,_

_So intense that I can't explain,_

_All alone with my whiteboard pain,_

_Shake your booty while they all complain._

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_Just like Michael Jackson did,_

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_Except that he was talented,_

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_I take the cheques and face the facts,_

_That some producer with computers fixes all my sh- tracks,_

_I'm pi- off but I'm too polite,_

_When people break in the McDonald's line,_

_Mom and dad they make me so uptight,_

_Gonna cuss on the mic tonight,_

_I don't know how much I can take,_

_So gimme something I can't break,_

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_Just like Quiet Ryan did,_

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_Except that they were talented,_

_I'm rockin' the suburbs,_

_I take the cheques and face the facts,_

_That some producer with computers fixes all my sh- tracks!_

Mumble's response to this was "well, that helped a little. Kind of. I would usually pass that advice on but, um, I can't really sing."

"What" Winter said before bursting with laughter. "A bird who can't sing. That's gotta be the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

Winter laughing was causing Mumble to lose his temper and control of his feet, which he tried his best to stop from doing their usual tapping. The harder Winter laughed, the faster they tapped, until eventually he couldn't control them, and he tapped the most complicated rhythm Winter had ever seen. When he stopped, he looked and saw Winter looking at him, not laughing. He expected Winter to continue his laughter, but he didn't even giggled.

"Mumble" he said. "That's the most awesome thing my one eye has ever seen! How do you do that?"

"I don't know. I was just born that way."

"Your dad didn't drop you as an egg, did he?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Right, because usually when a penguin can't sing, it's because he or she was dropped or exposed to the cold as an egg. And, unless you lose all your baby feathers when you grow up, you have just shown all the signs of being dropped."

"Okay, well, thank you, Winter. I should get going. I need to go talk to Chrysta. Bye guys"

"See you later, Mumble" Johnny said. After Mumble left the room, Barry thanked Winter for his sympathy.

"It's not sympathy. I was an outcast too when I was his age. I'm half-blind, remember"

"Well, thanks anyway" Barry said.

Just then, Mumble poked his head through the door and said to Winter "By the way. Loved the song."


	22. Chapter 22

Cliff sat over the balcony wearing a small black bow tie made of velvet around his neck. Winter came in for his report.

"So then, Barnes. What have you seen that is of use to me?"

"Well sir. I have come to tell you of an update in Mumble and Chrysta's relationship."

Hearing this made Cliff twice as interested in what Barnes had to say as he was before.

"And what has happened to my sister?"

"Well, sir, I have discovered some friction has come into their friendship."

"Excellent. With my idiot sister out of the way, what's to stop me from killing the song-less freak?"

"Well, s-s-sir, I've been thinking. Do you really have to do this? Mumble seems like a nice, harmless, well-meaning person. I don't think he poses that much of a threat to to your plans."

"Winter, you are a talented young assassin. You are brave, you are smart, you are an expert tactician" Cliff began before grabbing Winter by the throat and pinning him against a wall. "But you seem to go overboard when it comes to sympathy for the weaker side. Now, is there going to be a problem?" he continued, putting one of his claws to Winter's Adam's apple, gripping his neck tighter. "Well, is there?"

"N-n-n-n-n-n-no, s-s-s-sir" Winter said, quickly running short of air. Hearing his answer allowed Cliff to release Winter from his grasp, with the latter falling to the floor, quickly recovering from his near-death experience.

"Now then, I am to make my appearance tonight at the presentation of my newest invention. My sister will be there to introduce me at the ceremony. It is without a doubt that Happy Feet will be there with his group. When I give the signal you are to kill him from behind with this" Cliff explained before giving Winter a small dagger made of ice.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mumble walked into his room to talk to Chrysta, who had her face in her pillow, with muffled crying easy to hear. Mumble tapped her on the shoulder, and she got up from her bed, her eye-liner smudged with tears.

"Hey, Chrysta."

"What do you want, Mumble? Shouldn't you be trying to win Gloria back?"

"No, I came to apologise. To you."

"Okay."

"Look, Chrysta, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I just wanted to help Gloria."

"Help her put her tongue down your throat."

"Help her with her injuries. She just kept saying mean things about you. I was trying to stand up for you and lost my temper. I was ranting and shouting for about 5 minutes. She was just trying to calm me down."

"You mean seduce you."

"Chrysta please! I wasn't expecting her to kiss me, and when she did, I just didn't know what to do."

"You could have tried, maybe, I don't know, rejecting her! Rebuffing her advances!"

"You know, Chrysta, I'm trying to apologise to you and you're not letting me!"

"Because you betrayed me! I thought you were my friend!"

"I am your friend! That's why I'm apologising to you! If I wasn't your friend I wouldn't give two fish and a popsicle if I had hurt your feelings!"

This made Chrysta realise how stubborn she was being. Mumble really was apologising. To her. Nobody had ever apologised to her before.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she hugged Mumble so tightly he said "can you loosen up a little, Chrysta. I can't really breathe."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that, Mumble. I'm just really happy. That reminds me, I'm going to be presenting my brother at his exposition presentation tonight, and it would mean the world to me if you came on stage with me, Mumble."

"Well, I don't know. There's gonna be a lot of people I know there and, well, I can't risk messing this up, or I'll be a laughing stock, if I'm not one already, that is."

"Come on, Mumble. I just want to show my brother what you're really like, maybe then you guys can be friends."

After a brief pause, Mumble said "oh, what the heck. I'll do it" to which Chrysta squealed in delight, hugging Mumble even tighter than before. Mumble must have counted her saying "thank you" over 40 times a minute.

When Chrysta fixed up her make-up, they set off to the show, with little to no knowledge of the events that would change their destinies forever...


	23. Chapter 23

Tony Lazarus walked to the centre of the stage, greeting the large audience with "HHHHHHEEEEELLLLLOOOOO, PENGUINS!" to which they responded with cheers and applause. Gloria was sitting in the lighting effects area where they control the lights for the show. She was planning a _big surprise_ for Chrysta when she came on stage.

"Well, I am truly honoured to introduce the guy who is here tonight, ladies and gentlemen" Tony continued. "You all know his name. Ladies and penguins, he's Mister CLIFFORD WOLFSWORTH!"

It was then that Clifford came onto the stage, albeit to even more cheers and applause than Lazarus, and a catchy song playing as he stepped onto the platform.

_I took the 305, worldwide,_

_Why you think they call me Mr Worldwide,_

_Let's show 'em why they call me Mr Worldwide,_

_Why you think they call me Mr Worldwide,_

_Hold up,_

_Cause Fish, I'm Worldwide!_

"Hello everyone" Cliff said through the oversized microphone-like object. "I'm Cl-well, you'd be an idiot not to know who I am". Many audience members responded to this with a laugh.

"Now, I am here today, because I had a dream. I had a dream that I have held on to since my childhood. I dreamt of a world powered by machines, so that we, the creatures of the earth, can forge our own destinies. I am here to present my dream made reality, and to help me, my dear sister, Miss Chrysta Wolfsworth."

It was then that Chrysta came onto the stage accompanied by Mumble. Cliff thought that this seemed contradictory to Winter's report of the friction in their relationship. Nevertheless, Cliff gave a small nod to Winter, who was in the audience readying his dagger to throw at Mumble.

"Now then Chrysta, did you bring it?"

"Oh, y-y-yes, C-C-Cliff, of c-c-course" Chrysta stuttered, handing Cliff a small box.

Cliff showed the box to the audience, and said "ladies and gentlemen, I give you...THE FUTURE!"

And with that, Cliff pressed the button on the box, opening the large curtains behind them and unveiling Cliff's massive ice machines(see chapter 13 for more details). Mumble had never seen anything like these machines before in his life. They were amazing. Meanwhile, Gloria walked over to the transmitter and placed a small picture onto the screen, broadcasting it onto the stage for all to see.

"And there you have it, everybody. Special thanks to Professor Corningstone (applause) Tony Lazarus (applause) and my sister Chrysta Wolfsworth."

However, Chrysta's applause soon became uncontrollable laughter as Chrysta looked up to the picture transmitted onto the board. It was the same picture Gloria had taken the night that Chrysta kissed Mumble, or rather, kissed a fish that she thought was Mumble(see chapter 17 for more details).

"Mumble" she said. "I-i-is that-a f-f-f-fish?"

"Y-y-yeah" Mumble responded. "Gills kind of give it away, don't they."

"But I thought th- wait, that night. The night you said I was beautiful and we kis...you traitor!"

"Chrysta please, I can explain."

"Of course you can! You can explain everything, can't you!"

"Chrysta, I didn't expect you to do that. I didn't know what to do!"

"Oh, so I guess you obviously knew what to do when Gloria tried to kiss you! I can't believe this! You tricked me!

"No Chrysta. I didn't. I was ju-"

"YOU LIED TO ME!"

"Chrysta, I'm sorry" Mumble said before seeing Gloria at the side of the stage, grinning in victory.

Chrysta then saw everyone laughing at her. It made her think back to the sign-up-club-and-sorority party, where everyone called her "Freak" and "Loser". This saddened and angered her simultaneously.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted to the crowd, tears starting to fill her eyes. Her own brother was amused by this, for even he couldn't help but crack a small smile and a giggle or two.

"I SAID SHUT UP! OKAY, FINE, IF YOU WANT TO SEE A KISS, THEN WATCH THIS!" Chrysta shouted before grabbing Mumble by the collar and pulling him in to an extremely passionate kiss. Mumble could feel Chrysta's smooth tongue on his tonsils. When they split apart, Mumble fell to the floor as Chrysta said "how's that for a kiss, Happy Feet?"

Cliff witnessed this happen and his small smile of amusement became a violent rage of anger. Furious, he struck Chrysta hard across the face with the back of his paw, sending her crashing to the floor. Some members of the audience turned from laughing with joy to screaming with fright as Cliff picked Chrysta up by the hair and kicked her in the face, sending her head-first off of the stage and onto the hard floor (the audience sat on the balcony above the stage). Mumble tried to stop Cliff from harming Chrysta any further, but he was suddenly tackled by Winter, who held Mumble to the floor with the dagger to his throat. Cliff saw this and held the nearly-unconscious Chrysta by the ears, slapping her awake saying "oh do wake up, dear sister, or you won't be able to see your boyfriend get his head ripped off!"

Johnny, Barry and Fantine were watching from the balcony, thinking of a way to help their friends.

"Winter, do it now!" Cliff ordered, but Winter didn't kill Mumble.

"What are you waiting for, you imbecile! Kill that dancing freak!"

"Mumble!" Gloria shouted, now regretting her childish prank.

Winter closed his eyes, seemingly ready for the kill. Mumble also closed his eyes, awaiting his fate. However, Winter then took the knife away from Mumble's neck and threw it at Cliff, just scratching him across the shoulder. Cliff looked at the blood beginning to trickle down his arm, furiously charging the pair. Winter tried to stop Cliff, but to no use, as his former employer struck him across the face, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Consider yourself fired!" Cliff said coldly to his overpowered assassin, before giving chase to Mumble. "And as for you, Happy Feet. I'll just have to kill you myself. Save all the fun stuff for me!"

Gloria ran to Chrysta, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her up to her feet.

"What are you doing, you filthy white rat!" Gloria snapped.

"I'm trying to help Mumble, unlike you!" Chrysta answered.

Chrysta looked and saw that Mumble had his back against the wall of the stage, Cliff with his unsheathed claws in the air, ready to finish Mumble off.

"I will rule Foxopolis" he said, before swiping down his claws aggressively. Before his claws could touch Mumble, Chrysta jumped in and pushed herself and Mumble out of the way, not however without being slashed across the leg by Cliff's claws.

"Chrysta, you're bleeding" Mumble said after noticing the gash on her thigh.

"It's just a scratch" Chrysta insisted. "No biggie"

Cliff ran to where they had landed, and attempted to attack Mumble again, before Chrysta intervened by pouncing on her brother with her sharp claws unsheathed, sending them both struggling down the hard ice steps of the stage, biting and clawing each other to the death in a small puddle of blood.

Gloria helped Mumble to his feet while the two siblings fought, before Mumble began pushing Gloria out of the room.

"Mumble, what are you doing?"

"_I_ am trying to control this situation. _You_ are going to get out of here _right now_."

"If I'm going then you're coming with me!" Gloria said once past the door.

Mumble thought for a moment, before closing the door on her and saying "sorry Gloria. No can do!"

Meanwhile, back on the stage, Chrysta and Cliff split apart to recover their loss of spirits, having already fought to exhaustion, with their snowy white furs stained blood red with scratches and bite marks.

"I knew I would impress you someday, Cliff" Chrysta said.

"And I knew that I would kill Mumble myself" Cliff responded, before knocking her out of the way and lunging at Mumble again, before Cliff himself was tossed aside in a cloud of smoke. When the dust settled, Cliff emerged jumping and leaping out of control, with Johnny holding him by the tail, before jumping onto the fox's neck and riding him like a horse.

"Easy, boy, easy!" Johnny said nervously, terrified at being shaken vigorously by Cliff before saying "Oh, I feel like I'm about to throw up!". Meanwhile, Gloria was banging repeatedly against the door, trying to get it open until finally the door shattered into tiny shards of ice, sending her flying into the room.

Eventually Cliff was able to get Johnny off of his back, throwing the gentoo to the floor, only for his fall to be broken by Barry and Fantine, who caught Johnny in mid-air.

"You did a bad thing today, Wolfsworth" Fantine said as they stood before Mumble.

"You messed with a member of the LOFAO" Johnny continued.

"And if you mess with one of us th-" Barry said before being cut short by a recovered Winter, who walked past Cliff and joined Mumble and his friends.

"You mess with all of us" Winter finished.

"This isn't over, Happy Feet" Winter said before making his escape through an open window.

"There she is!" shouted one of the audience members pointing at Chrysta. "There's the Arctic fox. Get her" causing several security penguins(all of whom were maverick penguins) to descend on Chrysta, who fended off her attackers as best as she could. Mumble pushed past the security guards and tried to talk some sense into Chrysta, who didn't see him through the attacking guards.

"Chrysta, please. Don't do this" Mumble said before leaping at a guard in front of Mumble, who dodged out of the way, just in time for Chrysta to accidentally pounce on Mumble, scratching his flipper. This caused Mumble to yelp in pain, clutching his injured flipper with a tight grip. It was only then that Chrysta realised who she was attacking, distracting her long enough for Gloria to push her into a wall, ready to attack. However, before Gloria could do Chrysta any harm, Mumble tackled Gloria to the ground, pinning her down and shouting "Run Chrysta! Go now!"

Chrysta heard this and ran for the window, turning back and looking at Mumble one last time before jumping out of the window. Mumble let go of Gloria and looked out of the window, just when he could see Chrysta running down the hillside, and disappearing, before Gloria grabbed Mumble by the back of his neck and dragged out of the room for a little "chat".


	24. Chapter 24

When they arrived at a dark, empty classroom, Gloria tossed Mumble into the room so hard that he nearly lost his balance.

"Oh, I cannot believe this! I should have known this would happen! I should have known!" Gloria said angrily as she stormed past Mumble.

"Gloria, I ca-

"I thought you were my friend!"

"I know, and I am, but that was before all th- Oh, Guin, this is so messed up."

"I warned you about her, Mumble. And did you listen...NO! YOU DID'NT!"

"Look, you're mad at me. I get that. I'm an idiot. A screw-up. Look, Gloria, you can take this out on me. Be angry at me, but leave Chrysta out of it!"

"She's what you're worried about? Her. The fox. She could have killed both of us and she's who you're worried about? Not me. Your best friend. The best friend you almost killed!"

"She was just trying to protect me from Cliff. She'd never hurt anyone, I swear."

"SHE'S A MINDLESS KILLING MACHINE, MUMBLE! WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD!"

"Your little trick with the picture wasn't much of a help either, you know! She just wanted to have a normal life, but because of you, there's a bounty on her head for violent assault."

"When was the last time you looked at your arm, Mumble. You see the scratch? Do you see the blood gushing out of it? You know who did that to you? She did! Little Miss Foxy is the reason you're bleeding right now!"

"I can't believe this. There's just no sympathy with you, is there, Gloria. You just can't look past your own jealousy can you? You can't for once think of anyone other than yourself."

"Oh, don't play that game with me, Mister Mumble. Yeah, remember that? Remember when I saved your life when you were the last egg to hatch?"

Hearing Gloria call him that made Mumble think back to the day he hatched from his egg.

_FLASHBACK_

_Memphis watched over his egg, which had not shown any sign of life. Then, his friend Maurice came up with his daughter Gloria, who looked at the lifeless object curiously._

_"Memphis. Is everything alright?" Maurice asked._

_"Oh, I don't know. I can't hear anything" was Memphis' answer._

_Gloria looked at the egg, and tapped it with her beak._

_"Is it empty?" she asked._

_"Er, honey" Maurice said._

_"Can I have it?"_

_"Gloria!" Maurice snapped under his breath._

_"It's okay, Maurice" Memphis said, heartbroken for his loss._

_Gloria tapped the egg a few more times, until finally a small nose could be heard from inside._

_Suddenly, a foot broke out of the eggshell, surprising all three of them._

_"Whoa, there's his little foot right there! And there's his other one!" Memphis said as the egg continued to break open._

_When the second foot popped out, the egg began to clumsily walk away, trying not to fall over in the process. Gloria followed the egg as it quickly moved about._

_"Come back here, Mr Mumble" Gloria called._

_Finally, the egg slipped down a slope and crashed to the floor, revealing a small, fluffy penguin on the ground. This penguin was not like a normal baby Emperor Penguin. Unlike the brown eyes that the others had, this one had bright blue eyes instead._

_"Mumble. Mumble. He he" Gloria sang happily to herself, happy to meet her new best friend._

_FLASHFORWARD(ever so slightly)_

Mumble finally stopped thinking about that day and continued with "Look, Gloria. That was a long time ago."

"What happened to you, Mumble. What happened to my best friend. What happened to the guy who used to stand by me no matter what I did. Wh-

"I grew up! Maybe it's time you did the same!"

Gloria was heartbroken by what Mumble had just said. However, she managed to fight back tears and said "fine. You want grown up. I'll give you grown up. I'm gonna find your little friend Carly-

"Chrysta."

"Whatever. I'm gonna find her. And when I do, I'm going to get a razor sharp icicle."

"No."

"Then I'm gonna cut her stomach open."

"No, please, don't".

"I'm gonna rip out every organ she has starting with her liver."

"You can't do this."

"Then I'm gonna take that icicle."

"No."

"Then I'm gonna gut her. Kill her. Slowly. Painfully. In every way I know she fears."

"Gloria, don't."

"And then I'll split her skull!"

"NO!"

"And that is a promise. See you round, Mumble."

When Gloria was leaving the room, Mumble chased her and grabbed her by the arm, saying "Gloria, please, leave Chrysta alone!" before being tossed aside and thrown to the floor.

"I don't take orders from twitchy idiots like you! I'm done trying to help you. So goodbye. Happy Feet."

Gloria then slammed the door behind her, leaving Mumble alone in the classroom. Alone, and heartbroken, he tucked himself into a ball and cried quietly.

Just then, the door opened, and Johnny stepped into the room. He saw Mumble weeping and sat next to the troubled penguin.

"So" Mumble said, wiping his eyes. "I guess you heard."

"Every word, boy, every word."

After a brief silence, Johnny said "well, this is a mess, isn't it? I mean, you've lost Chrysta, you've lost Gloria and from the looks of it you've lost your self-respect."

"I didn't lose that last part. I just never had it" Mumble answered.

"Yeah, well, you have a problem, Mumble?"

"Oh my Guin, what is it about you an problems, Johnny. Okay, I know I have a problem. I've always had a problem. I can't sing. I've done everything I can to fix it but I just can't."

"Mumble, your lack of a singing voice and your "Happy Feet" are what make you you, alright. The problem was never about you _being_ you, it was about trying to _change_ you."

Mumble looked at Johnny before putting his head in his hands.

"Mumble, you're the only one who can talk some sense into Chrysta."

"Oh yeah, too bad no one knows where she is!"

Just then, Winter came into the room, followed by Barry and Fantine.

"Johnny, we've located Chrysta heading off into the north glaciers" Winter reported.

"But Gloria's not far behind her" Barry added.

"Don't worry" said Johnny. "I know a shortcut. Mumble, you coming with?"

"Well, you said I was the only one who could talk some sense into Chrysta so, sure, why not?"

And with that, the group set off to the north glaciers in their race against time.


	25. Chapter 25

The group arrived at the glaciers thanks to Johnny's short cut, although Mumble wished it was a lot less disgusting of a trip to get there.

_FLASHBACK_

_Johnny led them to a small cubicle in his room. He opened the door to reveal his short cut._

_"Um, Johnny" Mumble said. "You realise that's a toilet, right?"_

_"Do you want to save Chrysta?"_

_"Yes, of course. But, are you sure we need to go down that thing to save her?"_

_"Oh, for the love of Guin" Johnny sighed, grabbing Mumble and dropping him down the toilet, which was revealed to be a long pipe that led down like a tunnel to the north glaciers. Once his friends had joined him, all five of them crawled through the tunnel and arrived at their destination._

_FLASHFORWARD(ever so slightly)_

"Okay, we're here. All we need to do now is find Chrysta" Mumble said once they had all made it through the pipe.

"Got it. We'll split up" Winter said before getting an icicle and drawing a small picture in the snow while explaining his plan. First, he drew seven different shapes.

"Okay, here's how it works. Mumble, you're the triangle. Barry, you're the square."

"It's hip to be square!" Barry exclaimed.

"Yeah. Whatever. Fantine, you're the octagon, I am the trapezoid, Gloria is the hexagon and Chrysta is the star. Oh, and Johnny is the circle."

"Isn't that an oval?" Johnny protested.

"M hm. Yeah. Oval, got it. Okay, here's the plan. So the triangle goes with the square and trapezoid up into this glacier to look for the star, while the octagon and the oval-

"Isn't that a circle?"

"It doesn't matter. oval, circle, whatever, man. Anyway, so the octagon and the oval/circle go down to find the hexagon and keep her as far away as possible for as long as they can while the triangle goes to talk some sense into the star. Then all the shapes go back down to Antarctic Academy and clear the star's name and then the star and the hexagon become friends, the square and the octagon start dating and then all of the shapes live happily ever after. Kapeesh?"

"Wait. The square and the octagon" Barry said looking at Fantine, who shot him a small flirtatious smile.

"Okay, that's the plan. Are there any questions?"

Johnny quickly raised his flipper.

"Are there any questions not about the circle. I mean oval. I me- oh, whatever."

Johnny quickly lowered his flipper.

"Alright. Split up" Winter said before Fantine interrupted with "Well, actually Winter, wouldn't it be better if Johnny went with you and Mumble to find Chrysta?"

"I guess so, but you can't distract Gloria by yourself."

"Barry can keep me company" Fantine said, looking at Barry smiling innocently. Barry was not very keen to be with Fantine at this point, not after what Winter had said about the square and the octagon, but Johnny knew Chrysta better than he did, so it was supposedly for the better.

And so they split up. Winter, Mumble and Johnny went up the mountain to find Chrysta, while Fantine accompanied Barry to find and stall Gloria, but Barry was sure that Fantine had something else on her mind.

When they arrived at the top of the glacier, Johnny spotted Chrysta sitting alone on the edge of the cliff. She wasn't intending to jump, she just wanted to be alone. She was trying to stay as far away from Mumble as possible, because she didn't want to hurt him again.

"Chrysta?" Mumble said.

"Mumble! What are you doing here?"

"We came here to take you home"

"No, I can't go back. I-I-I'm wanted for violent assault. If you ask me, my home is right here. So, yeah, you should go."

"But we just got here" said Johnny.

"Mumble, please. You belong in Emperor Land."

"And so do you"

"No, I don't. I belong here. alone"

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the glacier, Barry and Fantine sat alone, waiting for Gloria to come past. Fantine exhaled quietly and rubbed her flipper, which Barry noticed.

"Are you okay" he asked. "Is your flipper okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little cold, that's all."

"Yeah, it is pretty cold tonight, isn't it. Well, we could make a fire until Gloria comes."

"No no no, you don't have to do that for me. After all, there are other ways to keep warm" Fantine said seductively, hoping Barry would get what she was talking about. With his eyes opening to their full extent in embarrassment, it became clear that he did.

"Okay, if I wasn't certain that you were a lesbian I'd think you were coming onto me."

"Well then you thought correctly" Fantine said quickly before pushing Barry against the edge of the iceberg they were sitting on, interlocking her own beak with his passionately. While they were carrying on with this penguin equivalent to "making out", Gloria was able to walk straight past them to the top of the mountain.

"Chrysta, just forget about everyone who doubted you" Mumble said. "forget about everything bad. Just let it go."

"Mumble please, I'm just trying to protect you."

"Chrysta, you don't have to protect me. I'm not afraid."

"Mumble, I'm dangerous. Just stay back" Chrysta said before running up a nearby flight of stairs.

"Chrysta! Wait!" Mumble shouted, following her up the stairs.

"Mumble! Where are you going?" Johnny shouted.

Meanwhile, Gloria ran up the glacier chased by Barry and Fantine.

"Come on, Barry, we need to catch her!"

"What is your problem, Fantine! Winter said that the square and the octagon start dating after we've cleared the star's name!"

"Oh no! You are not pinning this on me! My eyes were closed when we were kissing!"

Once Gloria had outrun them she pushed past Johnny and Winter and secretly followed Mumble.

Chrysta ran up the stairs with Mumble in close pursuit.

"Chrysta come back" he shouted.

Gloria hid behind an iceberg to see their conversation. She was waiting for the precise moment for a good reason to attack Chrysta.

"Mumble stay back please, then you can be safe from me" Chrysta responded.

"Please Chrysta. Just let me help you. We can fix this together."

"Together?"

"Yes. You and me. You're my best friend."

Tears of joy began to fill Chrysta's eyes as she embraced Mumble tightly, with Gloria watching unbeknownst to either of them. Chrysta whispered a small "I'm sorry" in Mumble's ear.

Gloria had finally had enough. She jumped out from her hiding place and shouted "Wolfsworth" really loud, surprising them both and causing Chrysta to slip, swiping her claws in Mumble's direction, causing him to yelp in pain, slashing him across the chest, leaving a bleeding wound just below his throat.

"Mumble!" Gloria shouted.

Chrysta ran to Mumble's side, lifting his head up and crying with guilt.

"Mumble, I'm so sorry. So so sorry."

"Chrysta. It's okay. It's just a scratch. Honestly."

Suddenly Gloria kicked Chrysta away from Mumble, pushing her constantly out of jealous rage.

"What is your problem you monster. You can't touch anyone without hurting them, can you? Get out of here! Leave him alone. Go somewhere where you can't kill anyone!"

Chrysta ran away quickly into the mountain, with Mumble running after her until Gloria stood in his way.

"Where are you going, Mumble?"

"Why did you do that! How can you treat someone like that!"

"What did you expect me to do! She attacked you, Mumble!"

"She did not and you know it!"

"Mumble, I'm not letting you go any further!"

Mumble resorted to headbutting Gloria and knocking her to the floor before running in Chrysta's direction. Gloria tried to follow him before being grabbed by Johnny.

"Let me go!"

"Why should I. It's not like you ever cared about Mumb-

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT MUMBLE! DON'T YOU DARE!"

Johnny thought for a moment and reached the conclusion "you love him. Don't you?"

Mumble ran into the dark room to search for Chrysta, but to find no one there. He wanted to help Chrysta because she was his friend. If only she would let him.

"I'm sorry Chrysta" Mumble said before turning back. "I'm so sorry."

When Mumble had left, Chrysta walked out of the shadows and, seeing her friend leaving, sat on the floor and wept quietly


	26. Chapter 26

"I just cannot believe you, Mumble" Gloria said, pushing her former friend to the ground furiously. "I tried to protect you, and how do you repay me! By headbutting me unconscious! I cannot, I just cannot believe this!"

"You can't believe me!"

"No I can't! I thought you were my friend."

"I thought you were mine."

"Friends stick up for friends, Mumble! Friends don't betray friends to let the enemy escape!"

"Chrysta is not the enemy! She's my friend! And if it wasn't for you, she'd probably be your friend too! Just stop this rivalry with her, please, Gloria! For your sake and hers!"

"You don't get it, do you, Mumble! This isn't rivalry! This is WAR! Not like you would understand that, would you Mumble."

"And why exactly wouldn't I understand that!"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE A FREAK!" Gloria snapped uncontrollably. She turned and saw Johnny, Fantine, Barry and even Winter all with their mouths dropped in shock at her comment. It was then that she realised what she had just said, before she turned around and saw Mumble looking at her. Seeing the tears come from his eyes and trickle down his face to his chin downright broke her heart. She took a small step toward Mumble, before he snapped "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Mumble, I'm sorry."

"You said we were friends. You said you believed in me. But you're no different from everyone else in Emperor Land. You're no different from Noah. You're no different from my dad!"

"Mumble, please!" Gloria begged, before Mumble turned and fled through the door, slamming it hard behind him, with Johnny and the rest of the gang following him.

As they chased Mumble, Winter thought to himself about what day it was. Then the terror came into his eyes. They were all in great danger. He had to warn them. He didn't work for Cliff anymore. He had friends now. And as their friend, it was his duty to protect them to his last breath.

Mumble walked through the campus silently, away from his friends and Gloria. He didn't want friends anymore. What was the point of having friends if you were just going to lose them anyway. If he had already lost Chrysta and Gloria, then it was just a matter of time before he lost Johnny, and Barry, and Fantine, and even Winter, who he hadn't known for as long as everybody else, so he would probably lose him last, because it seemed as though the longer he knew someone, the sooner he would lose their trust.

"Ah, Mr Happy Feet" someone called, to which Mumble looked up, only to see Andrew Moriarty towering above him.

"I haven't seen you since the big fight last week" Moriarty continued, before Mumble noticed the dagger he held in his left flipper.

"Look" Mumble said coldly. "If you've come to kill me, then I give you permission to. It's not like my life is worth anything."

But rather than follow this idea, Moriarty simply looked at his blade as he sharpened it, saying "if you were Johnny, I would take that as a very generous offer. But I have not come here for violence, Mumble. I heard about what you did at the Wolfsworth presentation ceremony. I have heard of your predicament with Miss Chrysta, and seeing as you saved my life, (see chapter 8 for more details) I have come to offer you and your friends my assistance. A temporary alliance between enemies."

"Mumble!" Johnny shouted, running to his friend's side, followed by Barry, Fantine and Winter. Johnny drew an ice sword from his small, custom belt, saying "alright Moriarty, time to end this!"

"Johnny, we have bigger things to worry about, like the fact that Emperor Land has only 24 hours left" Winter cut in, to which everyone there responded "WWWHHHAAATTT!"

Winter slapped himself with his flipper, saying "oh, yeah, I forgot, I'm not working for the Wolfsworths anymore, so I can tell you guys everything, can't I."

"What do you have to tell us, Winter?" Mumble asked.

"Look, remember those machines that Cliff presented at the show that night that Chrysta ran away. Well, those contraptions are nothing more than weapons of mass destruction. This time tomorrow, Cliff will be on a bus heading out of Emperor Land with the entire city's stock exchange of fish in his possession, while the machines that have been installed are rigged to blow this entire nation to kingdom come. Any survivors from the explosions he's going to work to death building his new empire: Foxopolis."

"Well, we can't have that, now can we? We really are in some deep sludge this time round" Johnny said.

"We're doomed" Fantine said.

"Well" Barry said as he kneeled down to Fantine. "If we are doomed Fantine, then I want us to be doomed together. Fantine, will you do me the honour of becoming Mrs Fantine Kyle Tamland."

Tears of joy began to fill Fantine's eyes. "Yes, yes, of course I'll marry you. I love you, Barry Tamland!"

"Oh my Guin! I love weddings!" Johnny said. "Can I be the best man?"

"No one is getting married!" Winter shouted, before Barry and Fantine looked at him angrily, before he continued with "until we stop Wolfsworth. We'll break in tonight and destroy those machines, then you guys can get hitched!"

"But how do we destroy them? Those things are massive!" Johnny said.

"That is where I come in, Jonathan" Moriarty interrupted. "Wolfsworth has paid me thousands of fish to smuggle ice from all around Antarctica. That and due to this, I am personally in possession of the blueprints of every single machine that is installed here. All we have to do is get the five small chips, each of which we must insert into one of the machines. The chips will fry their systems, and every single one of those unholy weapons will fall crashing into the oceans. Never to be seen again."

"Yes, indeed" Johnny said, before asking "but, what do you mean we?"

"You guys. And me. I have come today to offer you my assistance. A truce, as you may call it. Oh, Johnny, in this time of peril, we rivals must unite against this common enemy."

"Hmm, yes. Indeed, you're practically a brother to me at this point. It is time we put aside our petty rivalry and join forces."

"Wow, Gloria was right, I simply do not understand war" Mumble said, slightly confused by their sudden ability to bury hatchets.

"Very well" Moriarty said. "Then my brain and weapons are at one with yours, and together we shall vanquish this foul foe" he continued, before everyone in the group put their flippers in the circle and shouted "together!"

"And we better save Emperor Land" Fantine said. "Because I'm gonna become Mrs Tamland".


	27. Chapter 27

Cliff sat at his long table when his Three 'O' clock appointment; a slender female with a cloak that covered her face and body, arrived. As she sat down, she removed her cloak, saying "hello, Cliff."

"Chrysta! What are you doing here?"

"I know about your little plan, Cliff. With the machines, the fish, the explosion."

"What is your point?" he asked.

"I want in. I take part in this. I get a taste of the loot."

Cliff thought for a moment, before saying "very well. How much do you want?"

"Half."

"No way!"

"Clifford. I could turn you over to the police right now!"

"Okay, okay. How about, 30%?"

"Half."

"I meant 33."

"I meant half."

"And a third?"

"40%"

"Half."

"42%"

"Half."

"45%"

"Half."

"46%"

"Half."

"47%"

"Half."

"48%"

"Half."

"49%. My final offer."

"Half" Chrysta said, to which Cliff reluctantly agreed, before she added "and I get to kill Gloria."

"Well, Chrysta. I admire your taste for blood. Mother and Father would be so proud."

Later on, as Cliff sat looking over his-or rather-their plans, Chrysta walked in and said "so brother, are the plans ready".

"Yes indeed, dearest Chrysta. This time tomorrow these pathetic Turkeys will be blown to pieces, while we will be safely on a bus out of here, and when it is done, we shall return and rebuild the city as Foxopolis. My only regret is that I won't be there to see those fluffy ostriches turn to ash."

_Yes, then that will show Mumble what happens when he messes with me_ Chrysta thought to herself as she checked through Cliff's bag of supplies. She found a small letter that she put in her own bag, little knowing how important it would be later on, and it was then that she noticed something.

"Cliff, why is there only one bus ticket? There are two of us, you know."

"Oh, yes, for you see dearest sister, I really need to go first with the loot, and then the bus will come back for you free of charge, just before Emperor Land blows up."

"Oh, well, that makes sense" Chrysta said, although she was unconvinced by her brother's excuse. She quickly walked outside of the room and thought to herself quietly.

"That ungrateful little worm. He's just going to take the money and ditch me, just like Theresa did. Oh, not if I have anything to say about it."

She walked back into the room, wearing a clear raincoat that once belonged to her mother when they lived in the North Pole. She was also holding in her right hand a small CD that belonged to her father. He had found it one day in alien territory; it had the words "Huey Lewis and the News" imprinted on the casing. However, in the other hand, she held a sharp piece of ice in the shape of a large axe.

"Hey Cliff, remember this old CD that belonged to dad."

"Oh yes, Huey Lewis, isn't it."

"Do you mind if I put it on."

"Oh, not at all. Chrysta, may I ask you a question?"

"Yes, Clifford."

"When you were with Mumble, did you go any further than kissing, like- well, I don't know" Cliff said, while making an obscene sexual gesture with his hands.

"No, Clifford."

"Is that mother's raincoat?"

"Yes, it is" Chrysta said enthusiastically, before putting the CD in the player, as the loud music began to play.

"Easily my favourite track of the album" Chrysta said before going behind Cliff and grabbing the axe. "Is the unrivalled masterpiece that is "Hip To Be Square", a song so catchy, most people don't listen to the lyrics."

_I used to be a renegade, I used to fool around._

"But they should do, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, but it's also a personal statement about the artists themselves" She ranted, before saying "Hey Cliff" to get her brother's attention, before swinging the axe down onto his head, and dragging the lifeless body to the floor, with blood pouring out of the wound.

_Couldn't take punishment, I had to settle down,_

"TRY ABANDONING ME IN AN EXPLODING GLACIER NOW, YOU FISHING MOTHER-FISHER!" Chrysta shouted aggressively as she brought the axe down onto Cliff's corpse as the song played in the background.

_Now I'm playing it real straight, and yes I cut my hair,_

_You might think I'm crazy,_

_But I don't even care,_

_Because I can tell what's going on,_

_It's hip to be square!_

_It's hip to be square!_

_It's hip to be square!_

_It's hip to be square!_

Once she had had enough of dicing her brother's corpse, Chrysta quickly straightened her hair, discarded the bloodied raincoat, and threw the axe at her brother's head, with the blade resting, and left the room with the body lying limp and the music left playing.

_It's hip to be square!_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip, so hip to be square!_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip,_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip, so hip to be square!_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip,_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip, so hip to be square!_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip,_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip, so hip to be square!_

_Here, There, and everywhere!_

_Hip, Hip,_

_It's hip to be square! (YEAH!)_


	28. Chapter 28

Gloria sat on the edge of a small ravine, thinking with guilt about what she had said to Mumble that day. She was looking at her muddled reflection in the water, muttering insults to herself such as "look at you, you filthy feather trash. Mumble was your friend and you hurt his feelings. I can't even look at you" before slapping the water with her flipper.

Suddenly, she was struck by a large block of ice which smashed on impact, knocking her unconscious.

Gloria woke up in what seemed like a large clear box. She tried to run around the area before bashing her face against one of the see through walls, and coming crashing to the floor.

"Amazing, isn't it" Chrysta said as she entered the room, wearing white silk robes and a long red cape, with a small crown-shaped object on her head.

"What are you doing here, Kristen" Gloria said as she got to her feet.

"Gloria, it's Chrysta, okay" was her captor's response as she looked through the glass.

"Oh, and sorry if the cell's not up to your standard. I would have decorated, but, you know, I didn't know your decoration style very well" Chrysta continued sarcastically. "It's too bad that you weren't Mumble, because I know his style exactly."

"Yeah, it's-um, cream-coloured walls with um-" Gloria stuttered, before Chrysta interrupted with "cream-coloured walls with blue crystal lights and royal blue coloured carpet, with antique accessories for decorations. Yes, I know."

"Chrysta, where are we?" Gloria asked sternly.

"Wolfsworth Industry's newest installed factory. I think since I'm going to kill you anyway so I might as well tell you my big bro's plan."

"I knew it! I knew you were working with your brother. Oh, wait till Mu-

"I am not working with my brother!" Chrysta interrupted. "My brother is dead!"

"You killed him, didn't you."

"Well, no progress is accomplished without sacrifice. My dear brother Clifford taught me that. Now, this time tomorrow, you and your home will be nothing more than a barren wasteland, all thanks to my brother's weapons of mass destruction. Of course, by then, you will already be long dead, I assure it."

"If you're gonna kill me, then do it already."

"Oh, cool your boots, cowgirl. That's not how the Wolfsworths do their business. I intend to alert Mumble of your kidnapping. Being the love-sick puppy dog that he is, he'll come crawling back to save you, and when he does I'm gonna kill you myself. Slowly. Painfully. For everyone to see. And when Mumble is done watching you die, I'll kill him too. Just as slowly. Maybe even slower. Depends how much time I have. And then, when your ancestor's nation is ashes, I will rise like the sun, as Chrysta, queen of Foxopolis!"

"I think you mean Emperor Land"

"Why would I call it Emperor Land, if all the Emperors are dead?"

"No, you can't do this, Chrysta!"

"What, are you going to stop me. You're in a glass case. Face it Gloria. It's all for one, one for all, but you are on your own. Now in case you don't mind, I need to find Mumble and lure him to his doom. Ta ta" Chrysta said as she left the room.

"You won't get away with this!" Gloria said.

"I would usually say "I already have" but that's a little clichéd, isn't it, so I'll just say, I have a nation to destroy" Chrysta responded before closing the door, locking Gloria in, alone.


	29. Chapter 29

Mumble and his friends climbed the stairs to his room, where they found the door wide open with a small note on the bed, which Winter was the first to find. He saw a symbol on the top of the paper. It was the crest of the Wolfsworth family, he recognised this due to seeing it on all of the machines. He gave the note to Mumble, who read it aloud to the group.

_Hello, Mumble._

_If you are reading this then you will know_

_that I have Gloria as my prisoner._

_I ask that you bring Moriarty's microchips to the main glacier_

_at sunrise, and if you do this you can have your_

_friend back alive and unharmed. However, if you_

_fail to do this, my minions shall hunt you down and_

_bring you to me, where I will kill Gloria and you._

_This is my final offer._

_Sincerely,_

_Chrysta Wolfsworth_

"Oh, Chrysta. What have you done?" Mumble said under his breath.

"What do we do, Mumble?" Johnny asked.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Fantine said. "We're not gonna do it"

"But what about your friend?" Moriarty asked.

"She's not exactly our friend anymore. She's kind of a jerk now" Barry responded.

Moriarty looked at Winter for answers, to which he simply responded "yeah, I don't get it either"

"No" Mumble said. "I got Gloria into this mess. And I'll get her out of it."

"Mumble, you can't just walk into Wolfsworth Industries. We'll be killed on sight by her guards" Barry protested.

"Which is why we're going to need a plan. There's a secret passage somewhere into the glacier."

"Well yeah, but only a few penguins know where it is" Johnny said.

"One" Mumble responded. "Only one penguin knows where it is."

_Later..._

"What do you guys want?" Katniss asked when they approached her.

"The secret passage into Wolfsworth Industries. You know where it is" Mumble said.

"So what"

"Chrysta has Gloria, and she's gonna kill her at sunrise unless we give her what she wants."

"You need me to help you save Gloria? Well, you really wasted your time coming here, Mumble. I stopped being her friend a long time ago. Go get help from someone else. There's nothing you can give me that'll make me help you."

"I'll let you punch Gloria" Mumble said, before Katniss shot an annoyed glare at him, to which he continued with "twice."

"Okay, when do we start?"

"We just did."

_Later..._

The entire group, including Katniss and Moriarty, were seated at a table, discussing the plan that Katniss had helped Mumble and Winter figure out.

"Okay, so, how do we get to this passage. Chrysta's guards are all over the place" Moriarty pointed out.

"We create a diversion" Katniss said. "And here's what it's gonna be."

_FLASH-FORWARD_

_Chrysta's guards stood watch in the main hall as Mumble and his friends hid behind a pillar. If even one guard saw them, the plan would fail._

_FLASHBACK_

"Wait, so, if we're all behind the pillar, who's gonna distract the guards" Fantine asked.

"Well" Katniss answered. "I was able to get a favour from some friends of mine."

_FLASH-FORWARD_

_Suddenly, Seymour and Petey ran up to the guards and started throwing snowballs at them, provoking all the guards to chase the two boys out of the room, allowing the others to enter the door._

_FLASHBACK_

"Okay, that's step one, what's next?" Johnny asked.

"Then, we go to the passage way. And that's when diversion number two comes into action."

_FLASH-FORWARD_

_As they waited for the other guards to pass them, Professor Corningstone walked up to the guards and asked them for directions to her "new" office. With the guards distracted, the group crept past quietly, with the Professor smiling at them when it was safe to pass._

_FLASHBACK_

"Okay" Johnny said. "So Katniss, do you mind telling us where this secret passage is, then"

"I'll explain it on the job" was Katniss' excuse.

_FLASH-FORWARD_

_When they entered the room, Johnny, Winter and Moriarty left the group, while Fantine, Barry and Katniss accompanied Mumble in getting onto a block of ice that they pushed down the slope. Mumble was slightly scared of heights like this, especially with several guards following them down the mountain. When suddenly another block of ice crashed into the guards from behind, ridden by Johnny, Moriarty and Winter. After they had subdued the enemy, the three of them joined the others on the ice block that Katniss was steering as it reached towards the bottom of the slope._

_"Katniss, we're nearly at the bottom. We're gonna crash" Mumble said._

_"Yeah! I know!" Katniss said confidently._

_As they reached the bottom, Johnny saw a small tunnel. Clearly the secret passage. He asked "Katniss. We're not going to fit!"_

_To this, Katniss simply responded "if it were easy, everyone would do it!"_

_They got closer and closer, until finally they only just scraped the diameter of the circular tunnel, travelling through the pipe to their destination, at which Katniss got up and said "ta da!"_

_FLASHBACK_

"Well" Moriarty said. "Your plan seems to be very in order."

"Yeah" Mumble responded. "Now. How do we save Gloria?"


	30. Chapter 30

When they reached the edge, Moriarty brought out a map of the factory to explain operations.

"Okay, there are four entrance points, the most-guarded of which being the northern point, which is where the main machines are being held. The western point is the dungeon where Gloria's being held captive. The eastern point is where Chrysta's main base of operations is. Lights, alarms, weapons, etc. And the southern point being where the stolen fish is being hoarded and guarded."

"Alright" Winter said. "Here's what we'll do. I'll go with Moriarty and Johnny to the northern point and take out the guards. Barry, Fantine, you guys need to go to the southern point and secure the loot. Mumble, you and Katniss go down to the western point and find Gloria, then Fantine will meet you three at the eastern point and help you take down Chrysta, while Barry will meet us at the northern point and we'll take care of the machines. Then we'll all rendezvous here at the north-east exit point and escape. Any questions? Alright, split up."

As they ran towards the northern point, Johnny asked Winter "So Winter, how do we tell who the bad guys are?"

Winter simply answered "Well, if they're not someone you know, then they're bad guys."

Once they reached the gate, the three of them were beset upon by a gang of Chrysta's guards and thugs.

"Hey, I found the bad guys!" Johnny said loudly before the fight began.

Johnny slipped under the legs of several thugs and armed himself with a circular block of ice, which he used as a shield against his attackers. After defeating a large number of guards, a powerful swipe from a sword smashed Johnny's shield into several pieces, leaving him unarmed and harmless. However, before the hitman could finish him off, he was stunned unconscious by Moriarty, who helped Johnny to his feet.

"Gee, thanks."'

"You'd be helpless without me" was Moriarty's excuse.

Meanwhile, Mumble and Katniss snuck past the guards and into the western dungeon where Gloria sat in her cage with her back turned, not knowing of their presence. Mumble cleared his throat loudly, getting Gloria's attention. She turned around, and her face filled with joy of seeing her friends again. (well, former friends, really)

"Mumble! Katniss! What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to break you out" Mumble said.

"Mumble, I am so sorry about what I said! You too, Katniss. I was a terrible friend to you both and what I've done is unforgivable, yet for some reason, you both risked your lives to come and save me and-_(sigh)_-I just feel so happy, you know, and, the fact th-

"Okay! We get it! You're sorry! Now can we please just get out of here!" Katniss said impatiently.

"Okay" Gloria said. "Is there a key? There's always a key. You need to find th- she continued until Mumble just kicked the door to her cage open, to which she said "oh good, you found it! Now let's go!"

After she got out of the cage, Gloria walked over to Katniss and held her arms out in a hugging position, to which Katniss responded by punching her in the face, knocking her slightly off balance. She regained her senses and said "okay, I admit. I deserved that. And so I ju- before Katniss hit her again and said "sorry. Mumble promised."

Meanwhile, Johnny, Winter and Moriarty had managed to get the chips into two of the three main machines, damaging them severely and catching the attention of Chrysta, who boiled with fury and sent a small army against them. Once Moriarty had reached the final plug-in point, he plugged in the chip and turned and fled, followed by Johnny and Winter as the machines crumbled behind them.

When they reached the northern point, they found the others waiting for them.

"Did you plug them in?" Barry asked.

"Yes, now hurry. The grounds already starting to crack! Look out!" Moriarty shouted as the thin ice shattered beneath their feet, creating a large chasm ahead of them. Just then, a block of ice sped down to the bottom of the hill right in front of Mumble, and Chrysta dismounted.

"Hello, Mumble" she said as she jumped to the floor.

"Chrysta" he stuttered before she struck him across the face, sending him to the floor, inches away from the edge of falling to his death.

"So. You thought you could make a fool out of me. Piece of advice, Happy Feet. Don't play games with a Wolfsworth. I can't lose!" she continued as she drew a large curved sword. She raised it for the kill, but before she could bring it down, Johnny grabbed her by the ponytail and hung on for dear life.

"Mumble! Run!" he said, trying to get a grip on the fox's hair.

"Let go you big oaf!" Chrysta shouted in rage, swiping her claws at Johnny, only just missing him.

Chrysta overpowered Johnny and sent him crashing to the floor. She then made an attempt to strike Gloria with her blade, only for Katniss to push her out of the way just in time. Barry then grabbed Chrysta by the shoulder only to be kicked aside by the latter, landing on some shattered ice. Fantine, angered by Barry being attacked, lashed out at Chrysta uncontrollably, and was then thrown in the same direction as her fiancé. Even Moriarty tried to assist in the battle, but was quickly knocked into a large block of ice, briefly stunning him. Finally, Chrysta saw Mumble getting up off of the floor, and raised her sword for the kill, bringing it down but surprisingly onto Winter's blade, who was then to kick her away as they dueled fiercely.

Mumble ran to help Gloria save Katniss, who was trapped under a beam of ice, soon to be assisted by Johnny, Barry and Fantine (Moriarty was still unconscious at this point). Eventually, Chrysta aggressively disarmed Winter and slashed him across the neck with her sword, sending him several feet away, leaving him hanging on the edge of the chasm. Chrysta turned and saw Mumble, who she quickly tackled to the ground.

"Chrysta. Please!" Mumble begged.

"Chrysta is dead! Only Queen Wolfsworth remains!" Chrysta shouted as she lashed out at her former friend furiously. It was then that Mumble realised that as Chrysta's anger grew, her sanity began to slip away. And this allowed him to quickly get a little plan.

"Once I am finished with you, these penguins will worship me! To them, I will be a god!"

"What? A god who is crazy! Uh, I don't think people are gonna want to look up to that!" Mumble said sarcastically, angering Chrysta to the point of throwing a stone in Mumble's direction, which he dodged quickly.

"Hey, you missed!" Mumble said humorously.

"RRRAAAGGGHHH!" Chrysta growled angrily, swiping her claws at Mumble, only for him to slip out of the way just in time.

"Yo, fuzzball!" he mocked from behind her. Mumble was intending to anger Chrysta to a point even she could not control, allowing her to lose her train of thought and be easier to fool. Chrysta finally turned and kicked Mumble into a rock. It seemed she was closer to insanity than he first assumed.

Chrysta's angry thoughts began to come in the form of a song that played in her head over and over again.

_Can't Ignore the Paranoia._

_Something Slipping._  
_Mind Distracting, Agony Inside Of Me._  
_My Pulse Is Racing Mental Torture, Self Destroyer._

_Can't Ignore the Paranoia._  
_Something Slipping._  
_Mind Distracting, Agony Inside Of Me._  
_My Pulse Is Racing Mental Torture, Self Destroyer._

_Can't Ignore the Paranoia._  
_Something slipping._  
_Mind Distracting, Agony Inside Of Me._  
_My Pulse Is Racing Mental Torture, Self Destroyer._

_Can't Ignore the Paranoia._

Mumble's mockery of Chrysta urged Gloria to throw a snowball at her rival, who fell to the floor with brain-freeze. Once she had recovered, Chrysta looked at the snow on her head and fumed with anger of all her memories of the kids throwing stuff at her, her brother abusing her, Mumble betraying her for Gloria and the constant humiliation she faced over and over and over again.

_He lied to me_

_They shot at me_

_He hates on me_

_He's using me_

_He's dead to me_

_HE'S DEAD TO ME!_

_That Happy Feet._

_HE IS MY ENEMY!_

"NNNOOO!" Chrysta screamed in fury as she grabbed Gloria by the neck and mounted one of her pet skuas.

"You took my hope away from me, Mumble!"

"Chrysta, no!"

"And now, I'm gonna take _yours_ away!" she screamed before taking flight to the top of the tower. It was a very small tower, most of it's height led underground, so it is to no wonder how Mumble reached the top so fast.

"FINISH THEM!" Chrysta ordered her remaining followers, who descended onto Mumble's friends, who tried to hold them off the best they could.

"There's too many of them!" Barry said. "We'll never win!"

"Yes we will!" Johnny said. "Ultimate remix activated!"

It was then that the group began to sing a mix of all their original songs put together while fighting their attackers off.

**Johnny:** _Ladies and gentlemen! Let's get ready to rumble!_

**Moriarty:** _Get Get Get Ready Ready Ready to RUMBLE!_

**Fantine, Barry &amp; Katniss: **_JOCK JAMS!_

**Moriarty: **_Ya'll ready for this!_

_Ya'll ready for this!_

**Fantine, Barry &amp; Katniss:** _Whoomp! There it is!_

**Johnny:** _Hitman!_

**Barry:** _Pump up the jam, yo pump it up, yo pump it_

**Fantine &amp; Katniss:** _This is your night!_

_BE Aggressive, B-E Aggressive!_

**Moriarty:** _Ya'll ready for this!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny, Fantine &amp; Winter:** _WHOOMP! There it is! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry, Johnny &amp; Fantine:** _WHOOMP!_

**Winter:** _I like to move it! Move it!_

**Barry:** _Give it up! Girl!_

It was then that Johnny started tapping his feet in a similar way to what Mumble usually did, which did not go unnoticed by the rest of them.

"Johnny, what are you doing?"

"It's that groovy thing Mumble does! It really makes the beat! Give it a try, the lot of you!"

And soon they all joined in with this "Happy Feet" craze as they sang.

**Johnny:** _Welcome to the big show!_

**Winter:** _Let me hear you say WAY-OH!_

**Barry, Fantine &amp; Katniss:** _WAY-OH!_

**Johnny:** _Simply en fuego!_

**Winter:** _Y__ou're about to say WAY-OH!_

**Barry, Fantine &amp; Katniss:** _WAY-OH!_

**Johnny &amp; Barry:** _Get on the floor, let me see your Tootsie Roll!  
Tootsie Roll! WHOOMP there it is!  
Let me hear ya say WAY-OH!_

**Moriarty:** _Ya'll ready for this!_

It was then that Winter decided to push through the bad guys like a game of football(American Football, of course.) with Fantine and Katniss dancing like cheerleaders.

**Winter:** _These sounds swirling through my mind!_

**Johnny, Moriarty &amp; Barry: **_DEFENCE!_

**Winter:** _These sounds swirling through my mind!_

**Johnny, Moriarty &amp; Barry: **_DEFENCE!_

**Winter:** _These sounds swirling through my mind!_

**Johnny, Moriarty &amp; Barry: **_DEFENCE!_

**Winter:** _These sounds swirling through my mind!_

**Fantine &amp; Katniss: **Action! Action! We want action!

A-C-T

I-O-N!

Action boys, action HEY!

Meanwhile, Chrysta soared over the top of the tower holding Gloria by the neck. Mumble, who was on the peak of the tower, shouted to Chrysta to leave Gloria alone.

"Hey, Chrysta! You're mad at me right! Come on, then! You mad at me? You wanna fight? That's fine by me, but let Gloria go!"

Chrysta, who was at a high distance from the ground, held Gloria out and shouted "Let her go, huh! If you say so!"

Gloria screamed as Chrysta dropped her down at least a hundred feet until she was caught in mid-air by Mumble, causing them both to fall through the roof of the tower and landing on one of the gears of a machine in the process of being built. Gloria was on top of Mumble at this point, as Mumble jumped beneath her to stop her from hurting herself on impact.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, really but, _(gasp)_ Mumble, look out!" Gloria warned, but it was too late as Chrysta had already dismounted her skua and tackled Mumble to the floor. She drew a small ice blade from her cape and slashed Mumble across the arm, causing a few drops of blood to ooze out onto the gears. Mumble was able to backflip and kick Chrysta in the face, breaking her nose in the process. Chrysta, angered by this, punched Mumble in the face and threw him across the room, slamming his back against the opposite wall.

Gloria kicked Chrysta in the shin, but this only angered her into attacking Gloria and pinning her to the floor, her blade close to her throat. Mumble saw this and suddenly felt the sensation within his feet, as they began tapping faster than they ever had before. He thought of a song that he once wrote to himself as he thought of all his suffering, his humiliation and his anger.

As Chrysta brought down her weapon, she was suddenly kicked in the jaw by Mumble, who grabbed some icicles chained together and tied her to a post, ultimately defeating her._  
_

"It's over, Chrysta. I'm sorry" Mumble said reluctantly.

"Oh no. If you want it over, Mumble, you're gonna have to kill me!"

"No. I'm not a murderer like you! You killed your own brother!" Mumble said.

"Ugh! Such a disappointment!" Chrysta said before noticing the possibly 200ft distance from where she was to the floor, and simply got up and said "very well, Mumble. You're not a murderer. So I guess all I can say is, see you in hell, Happy Feet!" before jumping off the gear and falling 200ft, landing hard on the rocky ground. Even from 200ft up Mumble could hear her bones snapping.

Mumble swung down to the floor on an ice chain and ran to Chrysta's smiling corpse. He poked her body several times, tears beginning to flow from his eyes. Yes, Chrysta was an insane sociopath who killed her own brother, but she was still his friend, and he didn't want it to end like this.

Just then, the rest of the group walked in celebrating their victory.

"We rocked those bad guys, right!" Johnny said proudly.

"You better believe it!" Moriarty said.

"Come on, Gloria, Mumble, let's go celebrate" Katniss said happily.

Gloria simply said "now's not the time guys, look" pointing in Mumble's direction.

"No no no no no! It can't be!" Mumble stuttered. Finally, he gave up after seeing blood trickle from her already broken nose. He fell to his needs and screamed "NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!"

Gloria grabbed Mumble and hugged him tightly, comforting him for his loss, as he cried quietly.


	31. Chapter 31

Mumble sat on the edge of the lake looking at his reflection. He was thinking back to the towers, and back to Chrysta falling. He remembered her smiling face as her corpse lay dead. The sound of her bones shattering as she hit the ground. The more he thought about her death, the more upset he was.

"Hey" Gloria said gently, sitting next to him. Mumble stayed silent as she sat down.

"You okay?" she asked.

"(sigh) You were right." he said straightly. "Chrysta was a heartless monster after all."

"Mumble, I was wrong. There was good in Chrysta. She just wanted to fit in. If only I'd realised it sooner maybe none of this would have happened."

"Gloria, it's been a week. I can't sleep, okay. And when I do sleep, I get nightmares. Every night when I close my eyes I see Chrysta falling. I hear her bones break. And I see myself just sitting there doing nothing."

"Mumble, you can't blame yourself for-

"What else can I do! You tell me!" he snapped. "I saw my friend die and did nothing but watch. Chrysta probably would have been stupid enough to try and save me! But not me, oh no! Chrysta was right! I am a disappointment and it's all I've ever been!"

"Mumble, I know how you feel, I a-

"No you don't! You don't know how I feel! You can sing, alright! That's all you need in this world! Penguins like you and Katniss and Seymour have everything! You don't know what it's like to be a loser! You can just screw up over and over and over again and yet everyone loves you! It's impossible for you to fail. Because you were born to be awesome!"

"Oh really Mumble, awesome? Oh yeah, sure, I _was_ awesome. I was awesome until I flunked all the tests, lost at the exams, missed my friend's recital. And I was awesome until I was so determined to be better than Chrysta, that I would use her hurting you as an excuse to beat her up! Alright! How's that for awesome, Mumble?"

After a moment of silence, Gloria continued with "(sigh) look Mumble, you're right. I'll probably never know how you feel. But that doesn't make you the only failure here."

Johnny walked over to the pair and said "hey you two. We're throwing a party at the clubhouse. No one else is there. Just me, Barry, Fantine, Winter and Katniss. Oh, and we also invited Moriarty to be the DJ. You guys coming?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Count me in." Gloria said before Johnny left, then asked Mumble "so, are you coming with?"

"Um, (sigh) I don't know. Maybe I'll just sit back here for a while."

"Oh okay. I'll see you later, Mumble" Gloria said before kissing him on the cheek and leaving. Mumble looked back to see her going and sighed heavily.

* * *

_FLASH-FORWARD_

"And that's the end" Mumble said, concluding his story. He looked to his small audience, that was now joined by the amigos and Lovelace, even Sven had come to listen.

"Wait! What about the song?" Ramon asked.

"What song?" Mumble said.

"The song that Johnny took from you at the sing-offs" Erik explained. "So, what happened to it?"

"Yes, Mumblay, you never explained that" Sven added.

"Well, I don't remember. Sorry" Mumble lied.

"Well I do" Gloria said . "Here's what happened"

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

In the clubhouse, Moriarty played his music on the discs wearing sunglasses and homemade headphones, jamming a surprisingly funky tune for the dance floor.

_When I walk on by, girls be lookin' like damn he fly,_

_I play to the beat, walkin' down the street in my new La-freak, yeah,_

_This is how I roll, animal-print, pants out control_

_It's Red-Foo with da big afro, it like Bruce Lee, rock at da club, yeah._

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_I-I-I-I work out._

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_(Aw) Girl, look at dat body,_

_I-I-I-I work out._

_When I walk in the spot (yeah)_

_This is what I see (okay)_

_Everybody stops and is staring at me,_

_I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to show it, show it, show it._

_I'm sexy and I know it._

Mainly thanks to this music, the majority of the group there was dancing to the hip-hop tunes. Barry tangoed with his new fiancé at the centre of the room, while Johnny jumped up and down on the ground for his freestyle dancing. While he was doing so, Johnny noticed Winter sitting at the side of the wall, not joining in with the celebration. Johnny invited him to join but he just shook his head in annoyance. Mumble walked up to the door and thought to himself about what he was going to do.

"Oh, what am I gonna do. Do I go in. What's the point of trying if I'm just gonna mess it up, anyway. Okay, I'll just walk in, say hello and then walk out unnoticed. Yeah, great idea. Like I was never there. But what about Gloria. Little-Miss-Eagle-eye'll probably notice. It's not like I can just disappear. Okay, maybe not. Maybe I'll just go b-wwooaahh!" he muttered to himself before slipping on the ice and pushing the doors open by mistake, getting the attentions of everyone in the room. He stood frozen with nervousness, slightly embarrassed by his fall. He tried to say something, but all that he could get out of his beak was a small but awkward "hi, guys"

"Hey, it's Mumble!" Johnny shouted, and everyone in the room started cheering for Mumble, giving him praise for what had happened a week before.

"Great to see you could make it lad" Johnny said to his smaller friend.

"I'm sorry about Chrysta" Katniss said.

"Hey Mumble, Barry and I are officially engaged! I have a ring and everything!" Fantine squealed with delight.

"Yeah, what my beautiful fiancé said" Barry responded.

Mumble walked over to a corner, only to be joined by Winter, as they watched the celebrations quietly.

"So, what's with the face" Winter asked him.

"What face?"

"That face"

"This is not _a_ face. This is just, _my_ face.

"Mumble, I know a face when I see one. That's the face of a broken heart. I should know."

"How would you know?"

"Mumble, believe me. I've spent night after night pulling that face and looking up to the moon."

"You? I thought you were _the_ Winter Barnes. The no-nonsense mercenary who's so hard that he feels nothing."

"Mumble, that is but a shadow of who I once was. It was a long time ago. I was but an average penguin, living a normal life in King-Land."

_(FLASH-BACK)_

_The sun was shining over King-Penguin-Land. There was a small elementary school not unlike the one they had in Emperor -Land. At the back of the class was the latest of the hatchlings that year: Little Winter Barnes. He was the shortest of the group as well as the fluffiest. He looked around the class at all his friends, slightly embarrassed by having to look up to them all just to make eye contact, until he saw her. She was the most beautiful being his two eyes had ever seen. When their teacher asked a question, the young female raised her flipper._

_"Yes, Natalie."_

_Whatever she had answered with Winter did not hear, for he was lost for words with her beauty._

_Over the penguin years, Winter managed enough courage to talk to his crush and profess his feelings,which she reciprocated. They had an egg together which he kept under his legs._

_"Okay, honey, I'll take care of the baby" Winter promised._

_"I know you will. I love you Winter" she responded._

_Suddenly, an ear-piercing shriek filled the air, as a flock of skuas swooped down on the colony to attack. Natalie was knocked to the ground, and Winter ran to her side, leaving the egg out in the open for attack. Winter realised this and ran to fought a greedy skua that was trying to steal the egg. The skua had an unusual tag on the leg with which he picked up the egg, before Winter attacked him and caused the skua to drop the egg, which shattered into a hundred pieces as it hit the floor, which Winter saw before being slashed across the eye and falling to the floor unconscious._

_When he awoke hours later, he found the land in ruins with the snow falling violently. He could not see through his left eye which he clutched in pain, he then looked around and he saw a body, which he quickly recognised._

_"NATALIE!" he shouted as he ran to her side. He poked her several times to revive her, but to no use. He saw the blood run from her beak and onto the red snow. In her flippers he saw that she held the broken eggshell of their unborn child, who because of him would never be able to see life. The tears ran from his right eye as he thought of his failures with guilt._

_"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed in horror._

_As he walked alone through the misty mountains, he picked up a small piece of cloth and used it to cover his injured eye, and he walked on and on. Unwanted. Unhappy. Alone._

_(FLASH-FORWARD)_

When Winter had concluded his story, he said "so, I've seen the way you look at Gloria. You should really take your chances with her buddy. Take it from me, Mumble. Don't lose her like I lost Natalie."

"Oh, please. Gloria wouldn't come near me if she was on fire and I had the last Bucket of water in the world" Mumble responded, to which Winter said "well, she's coming near you now"

Mumble turned around to see Gloria looking right at him, a small smile on her face.

"Hey" Gloria said gently.

"I'm sorry? Hey me? Are you saying hey to me? Beca-okay, hi?"

"You look really handsome tonight"_  
_

"Yeah, you too-I mean nice! I mean pre-nic-beaut-nic-beautiful! You look beautiful. Really beautiful."

"Thank you."

"So, this is what a party looks like, huh?"

"Yep, this is a party" Gloria said. After a brief awkward silence, Gloria said "so, how you doing?"

"Okay, I guess nightmare's are getting a little better and my song writing's goin-" Mumble answered before stopping suddenly.

"What?"

"Nothing"

"You write songs?" Gloria asked, Mumble quickly saying "what? No, no, come on, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard"

"Okay" Gloria said before they turned back to watch the party. After a long silence, Mumble and Gloria said at the same time "there's something I wanna-

"You first" Mumble said.

"Oh please, I insist. You go first"

"Okay, Gloria. You know that I always feel shy and awkward when I'm around anyone, but when it comes to you, even though I'm twice as shy, and twice as awkward, I feel like myself around you."

"Yeah, I get that."

"So, I have something I need to say to you."

"Okay"

"Gloria, I lov-

"Make some noise everybody!" Johnny shouted from the stage, before adding "this is a song written by the LOFAO's very own Mumble Happy Feet" as he began to sing the song that Johnny had "borrowed" from Mumble, Gloria saying "I knew you wrote a song! Come on Mumble"

**Johnny: **_Tonight, I want all of you tonight!_

_Give me everything tonight!_

_For all we know, we might not get tomorrow!_

_Let's do it tonight!_

**Gloria, Katniss:** _Don't care what they say_

_or what games they play._

_Nothing is enough,_

_Till I have your love_

**Barry:** _Let's do it tonight!_

**Gloria, Katniss:** _I want you tonight,_

_I want you to stay,_

_I want you tonight_

**Fantine:** _Grab somebody sexy, tell em-_

**Moriarty:** _Hey!_

**Johnny:** _Give me everything tonight._

**Moriarty:** _Hey!_

**Johnny:** _Give me everything tonight._

**Moriarty:** _Hey!_

**Johnny:** _Give me everything tonight._

**Moriarty:** _Hey!_

**Johnny:** _Give me everything tonight._

At this point Moriarty dropped his microphone, which rolled across the floor and was picked up by an unexpected individual, who nonetheless continued the song.

**Winter: **_Excuse me! (Excuse me)_

_And I might drink a little more than I should! (Tonight)_

_And I might take you home with me if I could! (Tonight)_

_And baby, I'm a make you feel so good! (Tonight)_

_Cause we might not get tomorrow..._

For the first time in his life, Mumble felt accepted, trusted, loved. He still couldn't sing if his life depended on it, but now he had friends, and they liked him for who he was. So, if they liked him, and he liked himself, what else did he need. He was thinking this just before Gloria grabbed him by surprise and kissed him passionately, which he slowly returned.

**Johnny: **_Tonight!_

**Moriarty:** _I want all of you tonight!_

**Barry:** _Give me everything tonight!_

**Katniss, Fantine:** _For all we know-_ **  
**

**Winter:** _We know!_

**Gloria:** _We might not get tomorrow._

**All (except Mumble):** _LET'S DO IT TONIGHT!_

The End

* * *

END CREDITS

DIRECTED BY

**GEORGE MILLER**

MUSIC BY

**HANS ZIMMER AND ALAN SILVESTRI**

STARRING

**ANDREW GARFIELD**

**IDINA MENZEL**

**EMMA STONE**

**BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH**

**SEBASTIAN STAN**

**MARTIN FREEMAN**

**ANNE HATHAWAY**

**STEVE CARRELL**

**ANDREW SCOTT**

**JENNIFER LAWRENCE**

**CHRISTINA APPLEGATE**

WITH

**ROBERT DOWNEY. JR**

AND

**SACHA BARON COHEN**

**WARNER BROS. PICTURES**

PRESENTS

**A VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES**

PRODUCTION

A

**GEORGE MILLER**

FILM

**HAPPY FEET 0.5**

* * *

_(Mid-credits scene)_

There was then a knock at the door. Mumble went to pull it open, only to find the familiar faces of Anna Marshall, Victor Creed and Hobo-Joe Garner (see chapter 18).

**Zach Galifianakis:** Hey, is this where the party is supposed to be.

**Liev Schrieber: **Yeah, we came to "make amends" per se, with Johnny and Moriarty.

**Mumble: **Um, I don't know. I just don't really trust you guys after what happened.

**Kristen Bell: **We brought booze.

**Johnny: **Well, what are you standing out there freezing for? Come right in!

* * *

**CAST**

MUMBLE: **ANDREW GARFIELD**

CHRYSTA WOLFSWORTH: **IDINA MENZEL**

JOHNNY PITT: **BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH**

GLORIA: **EMMA STONE**

CLIFF WOLFSWORTH: **MARTIN FREEMAN**

WINTER BARNES: **SEBASTIAN STAN**

FANTINE: **ANNE HATHAWAY**

BARRY TAMLAND: **STEVE CARRELL**

ANDY MORIARTY: **ANDREW SCOTT**

KATNISS: **JENNIFER LAWRENCE**

PROFESSOR CORNINGSTONE: **CHRISTINA APPLEGATE**

NORMA JEAN: **NICOLE KIDMAN**

MEMPHIS: **HUGH JACKMAN**

TONY LAZARUS: **ROBERT DOWNEY. JR**

FINLAY: **SACHA BARON COHEN**

HOBO-JOE GARNER: **ZACH GALIFINANAKIS**

VICTOR CREED: **LIEV SCHRIEBER**

ANNA MARSHALL: **KRISTEN BELL**

SEYMOUR: **WILL. I. AM**

PETEY: **RYAN REYNOLDS**

JANITOR AT RECITAL: **STEVE BUSCEMI**

WILL THE KRILL: **BRAD PITT**

BILL THE KRILL: **MATT DAMON**

MR. WOODS: **ANTONIO BANDERAS**

NATALIE (flashback): **SCARLETT JOHANSSON**

GROWN UP MUMBLE: **ELIJAH WOOD**

GROWN UP GLORIA: **P!NK**

ERIK: **AVA ACRES**

BODICEA: **MEIBH CAMPBELL**

ATTICUS: **LIL' P-NUT**

RAMON: **ROBIN WILLIAMS**

SVEN: **HANK AZARIA**

**SONGS**

**HAPPY**

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY PHARRELL WILLIAMS

**SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT(FOR FIGHTING)**

WRITTEN BY ELTON JOHN

PERFORMED BY BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

**I WISH**

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY STEVIE WONDER

**GET READY FOR THIS**

WRITTEN BY 2UNLIMITED

PERFORMED BY ROBERT DOWNEY .JR

**TURN ME ON**

WRITTEN BY DAVID GUETTA

PERFORMED BY EMMA STONE AND IDINA MENZEL

**FROZEN HEART**

WRITTEN BY ROBERT LOPEZ AND KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ

**HEARTBREAK HOTEL**

WRITTEN BY ELVIS PRESLEY

PERFORMED BY ANDREW GARFIELD

**LOVE IS AN OPEN DOOR**

WR ITTEN BY ROBERT LOPEZ AND KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ

PERFORMED BY IDINA MENZEL AND ANDREW GARFIELD

**PRICE TAG**

WRITTEN BY JESSIE J

PERFORMED BY IDINA MENZEL

**A BILLION GIRLS**

WRITTEN BY ELYAR FOX

PERFORMED BY ANDREW GARFIELD

**SALLY MACLENNANNE**

WRITTEN BY THE POGUES

PERFORMED BY BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

**DIE YOUNG**

WRITTEN BY KE$HA

PERFORMED BY EMMA STONE

**FOXOPOLIS**

WRITTEN BY johnpatgillespie

PERFORMED BY MARTIN FREEEMAN

**ROCKIN' THE SUBURBS**

WRITTEN BY BEN FOLDS

PERFORMED BY SEBASTIAN STAN

**MR. WORLDWIDE(INTRO)**

WRITTEN BY PITBULL

PERFORMED BY PITBULL AND VEIN

**HIP TO BE SQUARE**

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS

**MY ENEMY (PARANOIA)**

COMPOSED BY HANS ZIMMER, MAGNIFICENT SIX, PHARRELL, JOHNNY MARR

**LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE REMIX**

MIXED BY JOCK JAMS

**SEXY AND I KNOW IT**

WRITTEN BY LMFAO

**GIVE ME EVERYTHING (TONIGHT)**

WRITTEN BY PITBULL

**PARTY ROCK ANTHEM **(CREDITS SONG)****

WRITTEN BY LMFAO

**PARTY ALL NIGHT (SLEEP ALL DAY) (CREDITS SONG)**

WRITTEN BY SEAN KINGSTON

* * *

_(Post-credits scene)_

Back in the tower at the abandoned Wolfsworth factory, Finlay cleaned the broken ice off of the floor where Chrysta had died. When suddenly, he heard a sound behind him, to which he turned and saw someone who he thought he would never see again, as his face dropped in terror.

"Why, Finlay. You look like you've seen a ghost" Chrysta said as she strode out of the shadows.

"B-b-b-b-but you're sup-p-p-posed to be d-d-d-dead" Finlay stuttered nervously.

"Now why would I be dead. After all. Mumble has yet to taste my vengeance" Chrysta said before cackling menacingly.

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Happy Feet or it's characters. All that I own are my Original Characters, but you have my permission__ to use them in your own stories. All rights go to Warner Brothers and George Miller._


End file.
